Through the Looking Glass
by Midnight x Poker
Summary: They longed for each other, they always had. When he's no longer in control, will he be able to keep her safe, when he is trapped inside the looking glass? - Shiki x Rima - Spoilers for chapter 29 and onward - COMPLETE -
1. Chapter 1

Sighing, Senri Shiki walked down the flower-bordered path, wincing in the sunlight, towards the large manor door. He'd much rather be with Rima and the others at Aido's home, but resigned to the fact that he hadn't seen his Mother in so long, continued to drag his suitcase up the steps.

"I'm home," he announced, pushing the ancient wooden door open, stepping into the large foyer.

"...Senri?" a familiar voice said hesitantly. Turning around, he saw his mother, Shiki Misaki, sat on the bottom step of the stairs, waiting for him. She stood and came towards him.

"I'm back Mother," he said, smiling slightly, accepting her awkward hug. Shiki's didn't hug often, so when they did it was nothing but awkward.

"Lets at least comb your hair. The fans from your acting days would cry if they saw you like this," he whispered softly into her ear. She nodded her assent, taking his hand and pulling him through the large arc into the sitting room.

* * *

For the next half hour or so they caught up, Misaki filling him in on everything that was going on with her friends and other associates. In turn, he answered her questions on how his classmates were getting on.

"Oh, and how is Rima-chan?" she said after a few minutes silence.

"She's fine," he replied automatically.

"Oh good. I saw Kiminari a few days ago. She's been worried about her recently, what with everything that has been happening at the Academy. Then Rima told her she wouldn't be coming home for the holidays. As long as she's alright then," Misaki finished, falling back into an uncomfortable silence. _'Theres something she wants to say' _Shiki thought as he continued dragging the brush through her thick dark hair. The silence drew out for a while more, when Misaki broke it.

"You're...beginning to look more like that demonic bastard," she murmured, looking at his reflection in the mirror. His hand stilled as he met her eyes.

"Really? Since I don't know Fathers face...But I always thought I looked a lot like you," he replied, resuming his brushing.

"Yes, you do, but..." she trailed off, her eyes glazed as she stared sightlessly into his eyes in the mirror.

"I liked that deep look that never told me what he was thinking...You have that same look..." she continued softly. With a sigh, she pulled a white envelope from her pocket, looking away from the mirror.

"Senri...There's a letter...from the council of ancients..." Shiki's eyes widened, his breath catching slightly in his throat. The council of ancients? Why would they be sending him a letter? This couldn't mean anything good.

"My Uncle from the Council of Ancients called yesterday and asked me to give this to you. Since Uncle doesn't have children, I think he wants you to succeed him. Of course we can't say no, because he's from the council, but hurry home, okay?" Misaki turned to him, placing a hand on his cheek.

"I'm hungry," she said, her voice gruff, leaning towards him, "give me some fresh blood."

"How spoiled," he replied, bending down to give her a better angle, "Well, alright."

* * *

_'How bothersome,'_ he thought as he stepped off the train, _'To invite me then have me make my own way'._ Whispers followed Shiki as he made his way through the packed Station, head down and breath held. He had never managed well in crowds, all the people brushing against him, the air carrying their scent to him. Closing his eyes, he pushed his way through the wall of people faster, cursing the council for not sending a car for him.

"Hey, look at that guy..."

"Oh! He's so handsome!"

"I think I saw him in a magazine!"

These twittering idiots were almost as bad as those ridiculous Day Class girls back at the Academy. He quickened his pace, still trying to keep it at a human pace, before they swarmed him. He had learned from experience that if he stood around for long enough, they would try and talk to him. Unlike Aido, he had no desire to converse with the humans.

He finally made it to the exit, and drew a shallow breath through his teeth. He hadn't thought to bring any blood tablets with him. In hindsight, quite a foolish thing. Not much farther now though.

* * *

"Thank you for coming, Senri," Shiki's Great-uncle, Kazuhito Shiki, welcomed him as he stepped into the hallway.

"It's been awhile, Great Uncle," Shiki replied shortly.

"Everyone doing well over there?" he asked pleasantly. Most probably a false pleasure.

"Yeah, quite okay, but to be honest, all employees have been fired..."

"Hmm, So I've heard. Don't worry about that now though. Today I want to show you something, Senri," he said abruptly. Straight to the point as always it seemed.

"I...don't really like it here," Shiki hinted hesitantly.

"What? It's not about taking over my place," he said sharply, descending the stairs to the basement of the mansion. He stopped, turning to look at Shiki, his lips curled in what he could only guess was a smile.

"You're not a child anymore. That's why, as part of the Shiki family, I will reveal to you...," he continued descending the steps, Shiki in tow, "...My deepest secret, that I've hidden up to now."

"Well now..." The large steel door at the base of the steps swung open as Shiki followed his Great-uncle into a spacious chamber. Although a vampire, Shiki was sensitive to temperatures. So he felt it greatly when the temperature dropped greatly inside the chamber, his breath escaping his mouth in clouds. His throat dried instinctively as the smell of blood reached his nostrils, his chest constricting painfully. Looking for the source, he saw a large triangular container suspended from the ceiling by rope. Small droplets fell form the base of the triangle to the open coffin that lay beneath it. His eyes widened as he looked at the coffin, unable to tear them away.

"...The reason was to protect him, your Father," Kazuhito finished his earlier statement. Shiki was frozen to the spot, registering what his Great-uncle was saying. '_My Father?'_

Swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat, he managed to answer.

"...So he hasn't died...How disgusting..." he breathed, trailing his hand across the coffins side.

"To say something like that about your Father, how cruel," another voice spoke out. Looking up, Shiki met the eyes of the newcomer. The eyes...of two different colours...

"He may not look like it but he's quite alive! But it seems like it's reached it's limit now...That's why...I was looking forward to meeting you when you were all grown up," the small boy stated, a small smile gracing his features. Without warning, the boys eyes slipped closed, his body dropping to the ground, as though he'd fallen asleep. Shiki instinctively went to catch him, when there was movement from within the coffin. A hand shot out, clutching at the side of the coffin, quickly followed by the rest of the body. The head rose, blood-stained and scowling, eyes of different colours glaring out. As soon as Shiki met those eyes, he was rooted to the spot, unable to even blink. Whips of blood, much like those he used as a weapon, shot out and ensnared him, as the creature rose upwards.

"_My cute son..."_ a voice that could curdle blood sneered, rising up more to grip Shiki.

"_Well then Senri..."_ It's hands grabbed his arms in a vice-like grip.

"_Lend me your power!"_ With that statement, everything went black, the last thing Shiki feeling was an insufferable chill run through _his_ body.

_'Great'_, Takuma thought, stepping out of the car, _'I wonder what Grandfather wants now'._

"Welcome home, Takuma-sama!" one of the maids said as he stepped through the door.

"Thank you," he replied, forcing a smile. He didn't normally have to force smiles, but being back in this house, about to meet his Grandfather, was dampening his usually cheerful spirit.

"The master is waiting for you. Right this way," another maid said, strolling off down the hallway. Refraining from sighing, Takuma followed towards his Grandfathers study.

"Master, Takuma-sama has returned home," the maid announced, bowing, and taking her leave.

"You obediently came home." Asato 'Ichio' Ichijo's voice came from the high-back chair behind the desk, not turning to face him.

"It would be troublesome if you came to the academy like before, Grandfather," Takuma replied. Asato did turn now, an eyebrow quirked.

"To pay a visit to Kaname-sama...is only natural for a guardian," Asato stated.

"Grandfather, Kaname did deem that having a guardian was 'useless'. Did you forget that he also declared the Senior Council's interference with the school unnecessary?"

"I am just concerned about Kaname-sama. However, forget about this matter for the time being. I have someone whom I wish for you to meet. For that reason, I have summoned you here. Come with me," Asato said before leaving the room.

_'Oh god'_, Takuma thought, _'This can't be good_', before following.

"Erm...Is it someone you mentioned before...a Pureblood...from the Shirabuki family?" Takuma asked tentatively, jogging to keep up.

"You will understand when you meet him."

Could he be more vague? The two descended some more stairs, before entering one of the unused guest rooms. Takuma was intrigued now. This room had always been locked to him as a child and he had been forbidden from trying to open it.

"I am sorry to keep you waiting. How did you like it?" The question was directed to a figure sprawled out across the couch on the far side of the room.

"Not bad," a familiar voice murmured, followed by a thud. Takuma blinked, as he saw the lifeless body of a young woman drop to the floor.

"That is good to hear, Master," Asato replied, before swooping to his knee in an elegant bow. Takuma looked at the figure on the sofa, who had since sat upright, and blanched.

'_Oh... Grandfather, what have you done?'_


	2. Chapter 2

It had been a fortnight now since Ichijo had left the Aido household on a summons from his Grandfather, although he had assured the others that he would be back within three days tops. Though concerned about Ichijo, Rima found herself more worried about Shiki. He had promised Rima he would be back by now. He had never broken a promise to Rima before, so she was positive that something was up. Hence, she now found herself on Shiki Misaki's doorstep, waiting for the door to be answered. Rima's vampire hearing picked up the sound of tentative footsteps approaching the door, and the sound of many locks turning in the large door, before a familiar face peeked through the small gap between the door and wall. Indigo eyes widened in recognition.

"Rima-chan!" Misaki exclaimed, opening the door properly and wrapping her arms around Rima.

"It's good to see you again, Misaki-san." Rima said, returning the embrace quickly before pulling back. She was never one for hugs.

"Wh...what are you doing here? I thought you were staying with the Aido's for the holidays. Thats what Kaminari told me." Misaki replied.

"I am, but I thought I'd come for a visit."

"Oh, alright. Well, come inside." Misaki said, taking Rima's hand and pulling her inside.

* * *

After a while of chatting about generally nothing, Rima's worry began to esculate. She'd been hoping to see some sign of Shiki, and had seen zip. Zilch. Nada!

"Have you been to see your Mother yet, Rima-chan?" Misaki said after some minutes of silence.

"Oh, not yet. I was planning on going to see her after I'd been here." She replied. She hadn't, in fact, been planning on seeing her Mother at all. Saying they didn't get on at the best of times was an understatement. Her Mother had never been easy to get along with, always looking for the the simplest path, which had never involved Rima. That was the reason that she had grown up with Shiki. Misaki had been more of a Mother to her than Kiminari had ever been.

"...So, Is Shiki not in at the moment?" Rima finally got to the point, growing tired of the idle chitchat. Misaki went suddenly quiet, an unusual thing, not helping Rima's uneasyness.

"Misaki-san? Has something happened?" Rima continued, after Misaki maintained her silence.

"I'll give Kiminari a call for you. She doesn't like it when you drop in unannounced" Misaki announced, standing abruptly and striding from the room.

"Misaki! Misaki, what's happened? Where's Shiki?" Rima shouted, following Misaki.

"Make sure you're polite, okay? Bad manners are her pet peeve, though you know that" Misaki continued, as though she hadn't heard Rima. Rima ran after Misaki, grabbing her wrist.

"Please! Tell me whats going on! Somethings happened, right? Something to Shiki?" She cried, her patience snapping completely. Misaki's eyes widened, before her face became an emotionless mask.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Rima. Nothings happened to Shiki. He's just gone to visit his great-uncle. Why on Earth would you think differently?" She retorted in a monotone. Rima quirked an eyebrow.

"Oh, is that so? Then I suppose it would be okay if I were to go and see him there." She lied, putting on her poker-face. Misaki's face changed abruptly, panic etched all over her features.

"No! You musn't! Please!" She shrieked, clutching onto Rima's sleeve, her large eyes pleading.

"...Misaki-san...Whats going on?" Rima spoke softly, hoping to coerce her into giving up some information. Misaki looked torn, and hope blossomed in Rima's chest, only to be squashed as she tore her hands from Rima's, her mouth set in a firm line.

"I'm saying this because I care, Rima. You're very special to me, so _please_ understand. Theres nothing you, or anyone else can do now. Please don't get involved. It's too dangerous...No, _he's_too dangerous. It's already _too late_." Misaki emphasized, before turning around.

"It will be dark soon. I'm assuming that you didn't really have any intentions of seeing Kiminari, so it may be best if you return to the Aido's house. I believe you'll be returning to the Academy in a few days, which is good. Just forget about Shiki, behave, and _don't get involved!_"

* * *

Sighing, Rima slumped down against the sofa cushions, head pounding. 'How cruel it was of Kaname-sama to make me do this sort of job', she thought, 'Following that prefect girl around like bodyguards. How demeaning'. The day had consisted of her, Aido, Kain and a few of the others trailing around after the prefect, much to the other prefects displeasure, eventually taking her to see Kaname-sama. All day...in the sun! Surrounded by those aggravating Day Class kids! It had been a week now since Rima's disasterous visit to Misaki, and her mind just couldn't focus on anything else. What was happening? How did it involve Shiki? Had Takuma been strung in now too?

"Welcome back, Toyah-sama! There are actually guests waiting for you." One of the more familiar maids announced, the usual polite smile etched on her features. Rima groaned, entirely not in the mood for false pleasantries. Probably just another magazine scout looking for her and Shiki. Shiki, he hadn't responded to any of the letters Rima had sent. This troubled Rima. He had never ignored her before. All she had to do was call and he'd always come, so why the silent treatment now? Ofcourse, this meant that something had happened to him. Although that sounded rather conceited, that he _must _be ill or incapacitated to not respond to her, Rima was positive of it.

"Hmmm...Right now I'm-"

"Rima." A familiar voice spoke. Rima shot upright, looking to the source of the voice.

"I'm back." Senri Shiki stated, a small smile gracing his features. Takuma Ichijo stood beside him, his face a mask. How peculiar. No smile?

"Shiki...What have you been doing?" Rima said hesitantly, as he strutted, yes, actually strutted, across the room towards her. His smile became wolfish, something she had never seen before.

"I had something to do, but more importantly...," He bent over her, leaning his head closer to hers, "I'm really hungry now."

"Hey, Shiki...those eyes...What happened?" She asked, seeing him properly for the first time. His once stormy blue eyes were split, each eye a different colour. One was the same as always, a deep and stunning blue, while the other was of a mesmerizing crimson. He was silent for a few moments, until his lips curled into a smirk.

"...Something happened." He whispered, his voice surprisingly low and seductive, into her ear. Rima's breath caught in her throat. Had he sounded so...appealing before?

"Stop playing around, Shiki." Takuma cut in, catching Shiki by the arm and pulling him back, giving him a meaningful look.

"Don't you have something important to do?" He continued. Shiki gave an exagerrated sigh.

"Yes, yes. Well, come along Takuma. Lets get this over and done with." He drawled. Takuma nodded and they walked to the other side of the room.

"I'll see you later, Rima." He said, that smirk still playing on his face, before leaving the room. How strange. He was so...different. Shiki had always been reclusive and somewhat introvert. Even with Rima, he had never been very forward, always choosing his words carefully. Just then...he had never asked for her blood, even in a round-about way. Not that he hadn't ever fed from her, or vice-versa. Naturally, two vampires growing up together are bound to desire the other in that way. Yet, he had never actually been so bold as to ask for it, it just happened. Several times. Also, the way he had smirked, she had never seen that smirk before, and she had thought she'd seen all his expressions. If someone had asked, she could of written all his expressions down on a peice of paper. With illustrations! Though...he suited that smirk.

* * *

Rido Kuran stood before the small mirror hung upon the wall in Shiki's, now his, dormroom. His lips curled, he stared at the image in the mirror, amusement sparkling in his mismatched eyes.

"Now, now Senri. What good is all that writhing about going to do? You're just going to wear yourself out." He sneered to the figure in the mirror. He had just returned from his disastrous meeting with that insufferable nephew, knowing so far his plan was a success. Kaname had gone straight to that girl. Although Rido had intended to make the girl suffer with her awakening, aslong as she was awakened, that was all that mattered.

"_Stop this! Let me out dammit!"_ The figure from the mirror exclaimed, his voice distorted and distant.

"Such a disrespectful way to talk to your Father, Senri. You needn't be so sore about this. I reward the people who help me, son. I will reward you for this. I will give you exactly what you want." Rido spoke slowly, each word deliberate.

"_All I want is you gone! My body back!"_ Shiki bellowed. Rido smirked again, a fang flashed in the moonlight reflected from the mirror he was conversing with.

"Is that so? Remember, Senri, for the time being, we are one. I feel what you feel, and vice-versa. Your memories are now my memories. Whatever you've ever felt, I now feel too. I _know_ that desire you're kept buried all these years. In return for this," he signalled to his borrowed body, "...I will aquire _that_ girl."

"_...What...what do you mean?"_

"You know quite well what I mean. I will make Toyah Rima ours. I have to say, it may have its perks. I seem to share your desire while I inhabit your body. I have to say, you have quite a good taste, my son. She smells," Rido sniffed the air delecatley, as though Rima was present, "...Delectable." The figure inside the mirror was silent, processing the information, then reacted violently, throwing himself against his glass cage.

"_Don't you touch her! Don't even think about it!"_ Shiki exploded. It was bad enough, the damage he was doing to Kaname-sama, without getting Rima involved in all of this.

"I quite look forward to the process of this. It's been quite awhile since I...wooed someone," Rido snickered, enjoying his sons desperate bid to escape the mirror, "I believe I will enjoy this."

With a swish of his hand, the real Senri Shiki vanished from the mirror, to be replaced by the actual reflection of Rido Kuran inhabiting the boys body. His face donned a thoughtful look.

"How strange it is. To be on the other side of the looking-glass." He laughed.


	3. Chapter 3

Many things changed, yet eveything still seemed the same. As strange as that sounds, even if it doesn't make sense, it was a fact. Kaname-sama was acting abnormally. He had returned to the Dorm substantionally late last night, looking unusually distressed. Kaname-sama never showed when he was distressed .Another change was the aura of the Academy. As foolish as that sounded, there was a subtle change in the air. It was like the calm before the storm. It felt as though something was coming, an unstoppable force that would destroy everything in its wake. That's what it felt like to Rima atleast. Yet, none of the others seemed to notice_. 'Perhaps it's just me'_, she thought as she descended the steps into the foyer with Seiren. Oh, and there he was. Senri Shiki, the person who had been on her mind even more so since last night, if that was at all possible, standing with Ichijo. That was strange in itself. Although Shiki and Ichijo had always been very close, Ichijo was rarely seen without Kaname, yet Kaname seemed to be standing as far away from the two as possible.

"Seeing as we're all gathered, lets go." He announced, before turning and striding out of the Moon Dorms door.

"I will see you later, Rima." Seiren stated before following Kaname.

"Seeya Seiren." She replied, grabbing her bag and following the group. She winced as the sound of the Day Classes screaming reached her sensitive ears. Damn vampire hearing!

"Rima. Why are you walking alone? Walk with me." Shiki said from behind her. Rima jumped unvolentarily, spinning around.

"Shiki, you startled me." She stated. Since when could someone sneak up on her? Vampires couldn't be snuck up on! Even by other vampires! He smiled, the smile he'd always had, not that new smirk of his.

"Sorry. Are you coming?" He replied, walking to her side.

"Yeah...I thought Ichijo was with you..."

"Kain or Aido had something to discuss with him." He replied.

"Kain _or_ Aido? You don't know which?" He shrugged.

_'I must of just been imagining it. He seems the same as usual now. He was probably just tired last night...but those eyes...' _She looked up at his face, and was surprised to see two stormy blue eyes, not even a fleck of crimson. Shooting a hand out, she gripped his chin, forcing him to look at her. Rima stood on tip-toes, face close to his, looking closely at his eyes.

"Rima? Is there a problem?" He said evenly, not at all bothered that his personal space was being seriously violated.

"Huh...I guess I was imaginating it...," Rima muttered, releasing her hold on him, "...sorry." She turned and began her way towards the School again, until she felt an arm snake around her waist.

"Don't be." Shiki whispered, his fang grazing against her earlobe. An unwelcome heat rose in her cheeks as he released her, continuing along the path towards the school.

"Are you coming or not, Rima?" He shouted back to her.

'_I was definately not imagining it! What the hell is going on with him?'_

"...yeah." She said softly, following him through the crowd of Day Class students and into the main building.

* * *

'_She blushed, how cute. So she does have feelings for Senri as I'd assumed, or is atleast swaying that way. This is going to be __**very easy'**_Shiki thought, smirking _that_ smirk as he strolled into the main building, Rima trailing behind him. She was a sharp one, he had to give her that, but she couldn't possibly guess that he had been possessed by the spirit of his supposedly dead father. Who would? It was absolutely absurd. That was exactly why it was genious. No-one would ever guess, unless it was spelt out for them, and Shiki had no intention of doing that for anyone.

* * *

_It was always dark in this place, and very cold, although there was no discernable wind. He could hear the voices of his classmates through the many opaque windows into the real world. The largest window seemed to appear wherever his Father was, and he wasn't liking what he was hearing. He could hear her...her confusion and surprise at his changes in attitude. No matter how much he shouted, no-one could hear him. No matter how hard he tried to break the window, it stayed intact, not even splintering. The worst thing was knowing what his Father was planning to do to her...and he was helpless to do anything. The bloodlust here...it was unbearable, torture. No blood to satiate him, nor blood tablets to subdue him. This was a vampires hell. Absolute unending hell. His only moments of contact were with that monster who inhabitated his body, telling him to quieten down. Apparently his Father, as his only form of contact, could hear him perfectly, so he shouted as loud as he could as often as he could, before he went hoarse and his throat was bleeding, only further deepening his bloodlust. It was at times like these that she would come to him, when his bloodlust was much worse than usual and he was losing control; words weren't needed, they both knew what they'd do. She never even winced when his fangs sunk into her neck. He'd try to be gentle but when he tasted the blood he lost any humanity he had. How he longed for her now, yet hated himself for it, dreading that his Father was telling the truth that he could feel what he felt, that he shared his desires. If that man felt the true extent of his desires, then what chance did she stand?_

* * *

_'I can't believe I blushed,'_ Rima thought, sat in the classroom, taking notes, '_I've never blushed before. I'm not the blushing sort...I didn't even know vampires could blush! Damn'. _She groaned in frustration as she crossed out another wrong answer, having not been concentrating.

"Something wrong, Toyah?" Ruka whispered. It crossed Rima's mind that it was pointless for Ruka to whisper; Afterall, Kyobushi-sensei was a vampire and would hear them either way, but it would of been rude not to answer.

"No, I'm fine." She whispered back, copying down the latest information from the board. '_Concentrate Rima!_' She scolded. You know you should start being concerned when you start telling yourself off...

"That lesson was stupid! It's not as though Sensei is telling me anything I don't already know!" Aido exclaimed as him, Kain, Rima, Shiki and Ruka exited the classroom.

"How conceited of you, Aido. One could fill volumes with the things you don't know." Ruka remarked, earning herself a look that would put any human six feet under, or an Idol fangirl atleast.

"Now, now. Must you two always bicker like small children?" Kain put in before Aido could reply with a snide comment.

"We are not arguing! We are...debating." Ruka replied.

"No we're not! We're arguing!" Aido shouted. The two continued this way, with Kain trying to shut them up, until a soft snicker filled the air. The three stopped speaking and gave Shiki a startled look. Since the Night Class had been introduced, and they all arrived and met, Shiki had barely spoken to them, always keeping close to Rima or Ichijo, only speaking if it were to them or if asked a direct question. They had never heard him chuckle, laugh or even seen him smile. For him to actually **snicker**, and in such an...eerie way, was...somewhat creepy. His smile broadened, but it was in no way nice.

"You're all so stupid." He stated. Ruka inhaled sharply.

"What did you say?" Aido hissed. If there was one thing the Son of Aido hated, it was being called stupid. He was immensly proud of his obvious genious, and wasn't about to let the Council of Elders bitch talk to him that way. Yes, it was common knowledge that the Shiki family were unable to deny the Elders, making other noble families very wary to associate with them.

"I believe you heard me. If not, you're not much of a vampire, hm?" Shiki replied, a smirk playing over his lips. Rima repressed a shudder. What was he doing? Angering Aido like this, purposely antagonizing him. Shiki would never do that! Yet...

"Hold your tongue, Shiki. You are teetering on a very...**very **thin line." Aido said smoothly, the underlying threat not at all subtle as the air chilled noticably. Shiki quirked an eyebrow, opening his mouth to reply, until Rima grabbed his hand and pulled him back towards the main building, leaving the others to stare after them. After hearing Aido make some sort of comment and leave for the moon dorms, the others in tow, Rima turned back to him.

"What on earth were you thinking, Shiki?" She demanded. The boy in question didn't even blink.

"I was making conversation." He replied, his eyes, still both blue, boring into her cerulean ones.

"And what a conversation it was! Aido-san was this close," She put her index and middle finger together, "to freezing your ass to the ground and shattering you!"

"Pfft. I'd like to see him try." Shiki sneered, an expression that made Rima want to punch him on his face. She was near the end of her tether, although it had only been a night.

"What's wrong with you?" She near-whispered, finally voicing the thought that had been running through her mind since he had returned. He stilled, though he hadn't exactly been moving in the first place. His gaze intensified, causing her chest to go tight. She felt as though she couldn't breath under his watch.

"Whats wrong with me? What makes you think that anythings wrong with me, Rima?" He breathed, taking a step towards her. Rima instictively took one back in turn, stumbling back against the wall behind her. She had never been the most graceful of vampires, model or not.

"Oh? Whats the matter? Don't tell me...are you actually _afraid_ of me?" He continued, putting on a mock-surprised face.

"...Ofcourse not! Why...would I be?" She replied, keeping her voice steady. Fear wasn't what was making her back away, nor making her voice shake. He was different, that was clear. The thing that was scaring her wasn't that fact, nor was it him in general. What was scaring Rima, or atleast disturbing her, was her reactions to him. Rima had always had feelings for Shiki, anyone could see that, but was never willing to tell him. She wasn't a shy girl, but had a complex of sorts. A rejection complex. It had rooted in her when she was a child. Her Father, who she only knew as Takuto, had never been about, left when he discovered Kiminari was pregnant, a rejection of sorts. Then there was Kiminari herself. When Rima had been born, the novelty was there, a new-born baby to be fawned over and all that, but it quickly wore off. Kiminari blamed Rima for Takuto leaving her, which was in a way true. Therefore, she couldn't bear to be around her unless it was absolutely necarssary. So, Misaki Shiki, a close friend of Kiminari's, had offered to look after the child whenever she'd had enough. Misaki had also had a child, a son, at the same time, so intended for the two to play with eachother. During the first few years, Shiki and Rima had not got on. **At all.** Shiki had disliked how Misaki payed attention to her, even when she wasn't her own child. He had teased her alot, which was the reason Rima disliked Shiki. This continued for years, their constant bickering and teasing, until their first year of Primary School. It was the first day, and Misaki had dropped them both off...

* * *

_"Both of you, __**behave!**_ _I know I've gone over this several times, but please, if __**anyone **__falls or if __**either **__of you smell blood, leave the room at once! This is a human school, so you both have to be careful, okay?" Misaki told the two small children before her, both clad in a white and cream uniform._

_"Yes, Mother." The young Shiki said, looking towards the group of human children with wary eyes._

_"Rima, try not to fall over anything, dear. Even your blood can be dangerous if anyone sees your eyes." She continued softly to Rima._

_"Yes, Aunt." Rima said quietly. Both Misaki and Shiki knew that Rima wasn't comfortable with this, that control was somewhat of a foreign concept to her._

_"Alright, look after each other, alright? Our kind have to stick together. I'll pick you up later." Misaki finished, re-adjusting her head scarf incase anyone from her new film recognised her, then turned and left, sending hesitant glances towards the two children. As the car drove off, Shiki sighed._

_"Come on then! All the other kids are going in." Shiki barked, before striding off. Well, as much as a six year old can stride._

_"W-wait up!" Rima cried, jogging to keep up with him._

_"Don't be hovering around me all, okay? I get enough of you at home." He told her._

_"Why would I want to be around you anyway?" She squeaked, trying to sulk and walk with him at the same time._

_"Just saying. Try and make your own friends. Just don't eat them." With that warning, he went off to the teacher by himself, handing her their papers._

* * *

_Rima sat under the shade of a tree. It was morning break, and she'd already had enough. These human children were all so barbarian! Running around so recklessly, it was driving her mad. Shiki had made friends with some of the boys, and was playing with them, so she was alone. She'd decided against trying to make friends with any of her classmates. She'd never done well with people, though the kids didn't seem to vexed. On the other hand, she hadn't been left completely alone as she'd of liked. Some of the boys in her class had taken it upon themselves to hassle her. Childish things like pulling her pigtails and pushing her into the dirt, but it was bothering her all the same. Sure, Shiki hadn't been nice over the years, but he had never physically hurt her. A vampire she was, but she was a child too, her vampire strength hadn't appeared yet, and she was very sensitive._

_"Oi! There she is!" One of the kids shouted, having found her spot._

_'Damn it! Why won't they leave me alone?' She thought, getting up. Before she'd had a chance to walk away from them, the five boys had surrounded her. They began their taunting like before, shouting idiot childish comments at her, pulling her hair and pushing her over. A few even went so far as to kick her when she was on the ground. Then the smell hit her. That familiar smell that sent her heart into erratic thumps against her ribcage, that made her throat parched and her chest contract painfully. She could feel it running down her head, the silky liquid. A hand grabbed her, pulling her to her feet, and a figure put itself in between her and the boys._

_"Hey! Leave her alone! I'm the only one who gets to push around this twerp!" Shiki stated, shooting his foot out and connecting with one of the offending boys shin._

_"Ow!" The boy exclaimed, falling to the ground. If there was one thing Shiki had, it was vampire strength._

_"Come on you!" Shiki murmured, pulling Rima along behind him._

_"Really. You are hopeless, Rima. Can't I leave you alone for five minutes?" He said._

_"Sorry." She muttered, hanging her head. They stopped walking._

_"Don't do that! Have some pride!" Shiki demanded, forcing her chin up with his hand._

_"They wouldn't pick on you if you didn't look like such a loner! From now on, you're staying by me!" He announced._

_"I thought you didn't want to be around me?" She said softly. He frowned._

_"It's like Mom said. We have to stick together...You're not __**that**_ _bad I guess. Come on, lets go back to class." He finished, pulling her along to the classroom door after wiping the blood away from her face, from the graze. In all honesty, he wasn't that bothered, guess the little twerp had grown on him, huh?_

* * *

"Well? If you're not afraid of me, don't cower against the wall like that. I'm not going to hurt you. You know that, don't you?" Shiki's voice pulled her from her reverie, a gentle tone replacing the mocking one that had been there formerly.

"...Ofcourse I do. You...you wouldn't..." She muttered.

"Then why so hesitant. I have to say, you're hurting my feelings." He replied, his stormy eyes smoldering. '_That's why I'm being hesitant! Stop looking at me like that! You've never looked at me like that before...did you?'_ Her thoughts were in overdrive. Rima had always had feelings for Shiki, but if he looked at her like that, it didn't help her vow to surpress them.

"Or do you not care if you're hurting my feelings?," He took another step towards her, closing the small gap between them, " No, I don't believe that."

"Shiki...I'm being serious now, you've never been so...forward...before. Nor have you ever antagonized Aido, intentional or not. You've changed since you got back, Shiki. I don't like it. " She stated quietly. He raised an eyebrow.

"You _don't_? I don't believe that Rima. Albeit, I've...matured over my time away. That is all," He leaned closer, his face right infront of hers, "Do you really dislike me?"

"T...thats not what I said, Shiki. You're twisting my words!" She breathed, suddenly uncomfortable.

"So you don't dislike me?" He said softly, his breath fanning out on Rima's face, causing the heat to seep into her cheeks.

"Ofcourse not! You know that I like you! Don't ask such silly questions!" She replied, trying to distance herself slightly, but found herself firmly between the wall and and Shiki's body. He smiled softly.

"I was hoping you'd say that. I can't bear to think what I'd do if you didn't like me." He whispered, his lips ghosting over hers, before pulling back.

"I'm tired, and the sun will be rising soon. Come back to the dorms now. Those prefects are probably skulking around." He shouted back to her, strutting off, and yes, he was strutting. Rima leaned on the wall, her face crimson. '_Did that just...Did that count as a...'_ Rima groaned in frustration, trying to rid herself of the unsightly blush staining her cheeks, before walking back to her dorms.

* * *

"Good evening son." Rido said pleasantly to the figure in the mirror. He wasn't given a reply. Sighing, Rido stood and crossed over to the mirror hung upon the wall. Peeking in, he heaved another great sigh.

"Really, Senri. What a mess you've made of yourself. If you carry on this way, you may not even get the chance to reap the benefits of the work I've been doing with your young lady friend." He scolded half-heartedly.

"_What...what are you doing...I told you to leave Rima alone!"_ The figure from the mirror wheezed, collapsed on the floor after repeatedly trying to escape his prison.

"Oh? But I'm doing so well. She's _very_ cute when she blushes, Senri. You should see it." He said wistfully. Though he had started out teasing his son, Rido was having alot of fun with the Rima girl. He could of have his cake and eat it too right? He'd give his son what he wanted in return for the use of his body, but he'd have a little fun. Afterall, he had been sleeping for almost fifteen years. One mustn't allow himself to get rusty, no?


	4. Chapter 4

"Toyah?" Ruka murmured, lying in her bed.

"Hm?" Rima hummed, turning over.

"...What's going on with Shiki?" She said, sleep slurring her words. Rima froze. Ofcourse the others were noticing the change in him. It was extremely hard not to.

"...Nothing. He's just...overworked. We have alot of shoots lined up soon, you see." She replied.

"Oh. Yeah, you have one tomorrow, right?" the other girl, already falling back to sleep, muttered.

"...yeah. We do..." Rima sighed. '_Damn. I'd forgotten all about that. If Shiki doesn't behave, we may lose the shoot to that other company...'_ She thought, frowning. '_I wonder if he's even aware we have a shoot?'_

* * *

Stood in the corridor, Rima's hand hovered over the wooden door, hesitating. Shiki had never been much fun to wake up. Such a bad temper, even with Rima. With a resigned sigh, Rima's hand rapped down upon the wood.

"Shiki? I'm coming in..." Rima announced, turning the doorknob and entering the darkened room. Looking round, it didn't take long to see Shiki's comatosed form, sprawled out ungracefully across the mattress. _'Great. At this rate, we're gonna be late!'_ She thought, closing the door and crossing the room, silent as only a vampire could be. Perching on the edge of his bed, Rima looked at his sleeping form. _'How could such a form belong to a vampire? Aren't we meant to always be graceful and poised? He looks like a ragdoll'_. His chest rose and fell rhythmically, his perfect face peaceful. The blanket lay pooled around his waist, exposing his toned stomach. Unknowingly, Rima's hand reached out and began tracing circles onto Shiki's bare chest. _'What am I doing? This is perverted! Touching him while he's sleeping!'_. With a frustrated groan, Rima jumped to her feet. _'What's wrong with me all of a sudden? It's like I'm changing too! Maybe I am...'_ Her eyes scanned the room, not sure what she was searching room was a pig-sty, like Shiki's always was, barely a square patch of floor visible amongst the pile of clothes and books. Looking at his things, Rima felt somewhat relieved. _'He's still as messy as ever. Good...huh?'_ Her eyes had met a patch of fabric slung across something on the wall. Thinking back, Rima recalled that she had once seen a mirror hung there. _'How strange. Why would he cover up the mirror? A model covering a mirror, how ironic'_. Walking silently across the room, she reached a hand out and grasped the thin fabric, pulling it away from the frame of the mirror...

_Her voice reached his ears, as soft as he remembered. Oh no, she's near him. Her footsteps echoed around him, as though she were walking right inside his prison. He propped himself up on his elbows, squinting towards the glass wall. The footsteps grew louder. Was she coming towards the mirror? He stumbled to his feet, his legs trembling under his weight as he half-dragged himself towards the opening..._

_"Rima!" He tried to shout, but his throat began to burn once more. The blackness evaporated, melding into light, blinding him..._

Rima blinked the dust out of her eyes that had swarmed into the air from the fabric...

_He couldn't help the gasp that escaped him as he saw her. She hadn't changed in the slightest...Ofcourse she hadn't. It had only been a matter of days, even if it felt like years. Her cerulean eyes blinked rapidly, expelling the foreign substance.  
"Rima! Ri-" He doubled over, coughing violently, a scorching pain threatening to split his head..._

_'Huh? Did I just hear my name?'_ Rima thought, brow furrowed as she squinted into the darkness of the...mirror? She had expected to see her reflection staring back at her, but there was nothing but black; Pendulous. A sharp intake of breath was heard as Rima saw movement in the darkness, small and barely there, but her vampire eyes saw it.

"What the-!"

_He saw it coming. He tried to move, to shout to her, but couldn't find the energy, couldn't tear the words from his throat. He saw the arms wrap around her waist, and her eyes widen in shock before she was flung out of sight of the mirror...out of his sight completely..._

"Don't you know better than to come into someones room uninvited?" Shiki whispered, his voice low and dangerous, as he loomed over Rima on the bed, her thin wrists pinned above her head.

"I...I was just..." She breathed, staring into his eyes...eyes of two different colours.

"Hm? You were just what? Being nosy? Thought you'd come and snoop amongst my things? Well?" He hissed, his eyes blazing, fangs bared. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she finally answered.

"I was coming to wake you up. We have a photo-shoot in an hour. The car's going to be here soon." She arranged her face, which she knew had shown fear, into a careful mask. In truth, she had been scared. To have him look at her like that, fangs bared and holding her down...it had frozen her. He blinked, before releasing her hands and rolling off.

"Oh. Well that's alright then." replied Shiki, as though he hadn't just assaulted her. He stood up and crossed to the mirror, throwing the sheet back over it.

"How troublesome...I'd forgotten about participating in such frivolous activities..." Shiki murmured to himself.

"I'll just...wait in the foyer..." Rima said before striding to the door, only to be stopped as Shiki's arms once again entinwed themselves around her small waist.

"I'm sorry if I scared you..." He uttered, his breath warm at the crook of her neck.

"Y...you didn't scare me! Just hurry up and get dressed! We're going to be late!" Rima exclaimed, pushing him away and exiting the room.

* * *

"Too close..." Shiki growled, glaring at the door. _'This must of just been coincidental. She couldn't of possibly known what she would see in the mirror. If she did...I may have to cut the fun short...How displeasing.'_

* * *

_'What the hell was that about? Why was he so mad?'_ Rima thought, sitting on the couch in the foyer.

"Rima? Got a minute?" A familiar voice said from the door to the sitting room.

"Sure." Rima said, getting up and walking with Takuma to the sitting room.

"What's up?" She said, settling onto the couch next to Takuma. There was definitely something up with him. The ever-present smile was gone, his eyes dull and he looked exhausted. He sagged against the couch cushion.

"Well...I just wanted to...," he cleared his throat, "Have you...noticed anything..._different_ about Shiki?"

"...Why would you ask such a question, Ichijo?" She replied, her face stoic. _'He came back with Shiki, he'd been away a long time too. Maybe he knows what's going on?'_.

"Ah! No reason, just wondering!" He laughed nervously, a smile plastered on his face that didn't reach his golden eyes.

"...Actually, I have noticed something." Rima stated, trying to get something out of him. _'Perhaps if I give him some information, he'll give me some.'_ He tensed, sitting up.

"Yes?" He breathed. She hesitated, before continuing.

"Well...his attitude, I suppose. He seems to have become more...sinister? No...that's too much...just different. Is there a reason you ask? Have you noticed anything different?" His eyes darkened, his brows knitting. There was silence for a few moments, in which Takuma seemed to be collecting his thoughts, before he sat forward on the edge of his seat, his eyes pleading.

"I'm going to ask something of you, Rima. I don't want you to ask any questions, don't try and find reason to my request, just follow it. Please..." He stopped, eyes assessing her, before continuing, "Stay away from Shiki". Rima felt her eyes widen slightly.

"Wh-"

"I said no questions! I...I want to explain but...Argh!" He groaned in frustration, throwing himself back in his seat.

"Just...stay away from him. It's for your own good." He announced before standing, leaving the room.

"...I won't!" She shouted after him. He didn't turn back, or even acknowledge her words.

* * *

"Face the screen, Toyah-san. Yes, that's right, now look back over your shoulder!" The camera flashed, capturing her pose.

"Very good! You may go get a drink now." Mio Fujiko stated, turning to her assistant as they discussed todays outcome. Rima rolled her eyes. Yes, _go get a drink._ How tempting. All of these humans running around, the air-conditioning sending their scent her way..._'No! Bad thoughts! I'll go take some blood-tablets before I do something stupid. I can't believe I forgot to take them this morning. I've never done that before'._ Grabbing her bag she crossed through the packed lobby, breath held, towards the less crowded cafe.

"Good afternoon! How may I help you?" The cashier or waiter, they all had the same uniform, asked.

"Good afternoon. May I have a bottle of mineral water please?" Rima replied politely. The man smiled brightly.

"Ofcourse you may!" He beamed, turning towards the fridge and grabbing a bottle of water. The door to the cafe opened, a strong wind gusting in, and blowing the boys scent towards her. Her jade eyes were flooded with crimson, her throat became parched, her chest constricting to the point were no air could pass through.

"Miss? Is something the matter?" The mans voice floated to her ears as she doubled-over, clutching at her neck, fangs extending over her carmine lips. She could sense his hand extending towards her, hear the beating pulse, smell the blood rushing under the thin flesh...it would only take a second. One swiping motion, one quick snap to tear that flesh...to take in the crimson liquid..._'There aren't that many people in here...what would a few matter?...they wouldn't feel a thing...may aswell make a meal of it'_ that always present voice whispered nastily in the back of her mind, egging her on.

"Miss? What's wrong?" The now alarmed voice exclaimed, jumping over the counter and rushing towards her. Whispers of the other patents,_...victims!_..., rang out as they looked to see what the commotion was.

"_Oh my, what's going on?"_

_"Another model starving herself to be thin maybe?"_

_"Someone should call a doctor!"_

The man grabbed her shoulders, leaning over her, trying to see her face.

"Miss?" He shook her slightly. Rima gasped as the nasty little voice's whisper grew louder and much, _much _more persuasive. '_He's just asking for it! Leaning all over me like this! Just pounce! Rip! tear! __**Kill!**__'_ The mans hands relinquished their hold, a much more tempting but familiar scent overpowering her.

"I'm a friend. This is a...preexisting condition. I'll take care of it." A deep, smooth voice announced. An arm wrapped around her back, the other hooking behind her knees pulling her up into strong arms.

"Oh, and I'll take some pockey, thanks."

* * *

The sight of Senri Shiki carrying Toyah Rima bridal style through the gates of Cross Academy at twilight sent this 'couples' fangirls into a 'moe' riot. The other members of the Night Class looked on; some confused, others nodding as though they'd predicted this would happen. Kaname on the other hand, frowned slightly. A small frown, barely visible, but present all the same, and Shiki didn't miss it. A smirk pulled at his lips as he passed the other class members towards the Moon Dorm, clearly no intention of going to class.

* * *

"That was quite a show you put on there, Rima." Shiki stated, perched on the edge of her bed as she finally came round from the bloodlust-induced sleep she'd fallen under. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she sat up.

"Did I...I didn't do anything did I?" She breathed, eyes widening as she remembered what had occurred earlier.

"Nope. Though if I hadn't intervened then I doubt that boy would still be breathing. You were very riled up, Rima. Had you not been taking your blood-tablets?" He murmured, yawning slightly._'Ofcourse. He's been out in the sun, carrying me no less. He must be exhausted...He carried me. Just like Shiki always would if it got too much. Just like always.'_

"Then thank you...It slipped my mind this morning." She replied. He cocked his eyebrow.

"That was foolish. I believe it was _you_ who told _me _that we had a job today, and _I_ didn't forget to take them." Rima hung her head.

"Sorry." His hand grasped her chin, forcing her head up.

"I've told you before. Don't hang your head!" He muttered, eyes half-lidded as he fought sleep. Being out in the sun exhausts a vampire, even the strongest of them can only withstand the sleep for so long.

"Okay, sorry. You're exhausted, why don't you go to bed?" She said, touching his arm gently.

"Will do." He replied before pushing Rima over into the wall and crawling under the covers.

"Sh-Shiki! What are you doing?" She exclaimed as he snuggled into the pillows.

"What does it look like? I'm _sleeping_" He muttered groggily, his sapphire eyes closing.

"In my bed?" Instead of answering, he pulled her against him, burying her head in his shoulder.

"Be quiet and go to sleep. I don't see what the problem is. We use to share a bed all the time when we were kids. I'm too tired to go to my dorm." He argued quietly. Rima thanked whatever God there was that her head was tucked under his chin, the blush that had flooded her face hidden from his view.

"G'night..." he slurred.

"...Night..." She murmured, relaxing against him.


	5. Chapter 5

_...It's...cold..._

_...What is this place..._

_...So dark..._

_A shiver racked her body as she squinted into the darkness, trying to see something...anything but the black engulfing her. She could hear voices...but their words were indistinguishable. 'What's going on? Where am I?'_

_"...Ano...hello?" She shouted, yet she could scarcely hear herself. She could see her breath in front of her face, like tendrils of smoke, but that was all she could see._

_"Hello? Is anybody here?" She shouted again, straining her throat but her words were lost. 'Damn. What the hell is happening?'._

_"To appear in this place...is a strange thing, Toyah Rima-san." A deep voice stated, the words echoing around her, bouncing off the walls she couldn't see. She immediately tensed up, snapping her head around to see the speaker._

_"Such an achievement...I am pleased." From her left. She was certain the voice came from her left, yet when she looked that way there was nothing but black._

_"I have been growing impatient...". Breath warmed the back of her neck, her hair standing on end. Hands grasped her tightly, one around her waist and another grasping her chin, holding her firmly against a hard chest._

_"Blood is very hard to come by in this place..." A tongue trailed along her neck, slow and deliberate. Fangs grazed the same path as she tried to jerk away from the, she assumed, man._

_"If you hold still...you may even enjoy this, Rima." The voice whispered huskily before the fangs pierced her neck, none too gentle. A gasp escaped her as she felt the warm liquid running down her neck, staining her shirt. It felt as though fire was spreading through her veins, warming her frozen body. The hands holding her relaxed slightly as the fangs latched tighter to her neck, sinking deeper and deeper. Colors swam before her eyes as her eyelids began to droop, the warmth that had flooded her body quickly turning into sheer exhaustion. She felt the fangs leave her neck, a tongue as rough as sandpaper clearing the spilt blood from her skin, the hands releasing her. She dropped to the floor, body limp. After failing to lift her head from the ground, she settled for just looking up at her attacker._

_"Not bad" He stated, wiping the excess blood from his lips delicately with a handkerchief. Deep brown hair, almost black, hung to his shoulders in slight curls; one eye a burning crimson, the other a sapphire blue staring down at her crumpled form; lips settled in a small smirk. His tall frame stooped down gracefully to kneel beside her, a hand reaching out to brush the red bite marks positively burning against her ashen skin._

_"I intend to partake in such a delicacy again...," He said quietly, "But for now...sleep". Her eyelids finally dropped, the strange place fading away..._

* * *

Rima awoke with a jolt, her clothes clinging to her body, sweat soaking her. Her hand shot to her neck, expecting to feel two puncture marks, but only finding smooth skin. With a sigh, she feel back against the pillow. A surprisingly warm pillow..._'Oh'_ was the only thing that crossed her mind as she turned to see Shiki sleeping peacefully beside her, his chest rising and falling rhythmically. She watched his face, looking so peaceful and innocent, no smirk in sight, and felt a smile tug at her lips. _'Things would be so much easier if he just didn't wake up. At least when he's like this, I can pretend nothing has changed. That he hasn't changed'._ Shiki tossed in his sleep, his eyelids fluttering, muttering incoherently. Rima watched on. _'My Shiki. At least like this, he's my Shiki'_. A sudden realization hit her. Tearing her eyes from Shiki's sleeping face, she searched the other side of the room, only to find Ruka's bed empty.

"Is she awake already..." Rima muttered to herself.

"Kami-sama...how must this look?" She frowned. Ruka wasn't exactly the best at keeping secrets, especially if she thought that it was something she knew before Aido. The two had a tendency to compete on everything, always hoping to give Kaname some information he mightn't already have; an impossible feat. Kaname knew all that occurred in the Academy and, Rima wouldn't hesitate to bet, outside too. This thought struck her ironic. _'He must also know the cause of Shiki's sudden personality change. Will he not share his information, as any one of us would do with him?'_. Takuma knew, that she was sure of. How many others knew? Kain was very observant, though he seems to keep to himself, so he probably wouldn't voice any suspicions he may have. Aido, contrary to Ruka's beliefs, wasn't an idiot at all. He would surely investigate Shiki if he believed any information he collected to be valuable to Kaname. What about Ruka? Would she waste her time? Perhaps she would share the same reasons as Aido. A possibility. Seiren? ...Rima had observed how..._close_ she was with Kaname. She would probably of been present had anything happened involving him to tip him off about Shiki. The other Night Class students hardly knew Shiki well enough, nor been around him long enough, to notice any change. Therefore they wouldn't be prying in anything. _'Whatever has happened, his personality is rather...bi-polar. One minute, I believe I could be imagining everything; The next, he's unrecognizable. So...cool. So...sly. Not to mention...so forward. The old Shiki would never of shared a bed with me at our age, no matter how many times we did as children. It would be improper, a thing which Shiki had never been...until now of course. Maybe...he really wanted to? Would it be so bad if he did like me? If he actually reciprocated my feelings? Then again...What about what Misaki-san said?_

_**"There's nothing you, or anyone else can do now. Please don't get involved. It's too dangerous...No, **_**he's** _**too dangerous. It's already too late."**_

_It's too late? Too late for what? To stop whatever had happened to him? To do that, I'd have to know what was wrong with him in the first place! Do I even want him to change back to how he was? This way...there might be a chance...for us...NO! This isn't my Shiki! I don't want anyone but __**my**_ _Shiki!'_. Rima nodded frantically, scolding herself for even allowing such thoughts to cross her mind.

"You look like a nodding dog. Are you having a seizure or something?" Shiki's deep voice, groggy with sleep, startled her.

"Ah! You're awake!"

"Evidently." He grunted, throwing his left arm across his eyes, blocking the light seeping in from the thick velvet curtains.

"Well...I...I'm gonna take a shower so..." She trailed off. Lifting his arm slightly so his eyes met hers, he raised an eyebrow.

"Are you telling me to leave, Rima?" He said slowly, tone challenging.

"Well...this is my room...it'd hardly be proper for you to stay!" He smirked.

"I promise I won't peek" He replied in a sing-song voice.

"Shiki! Seriously, it'll be twilight soon. You have to change out of your uniform and take a shower yourself, so go back to your room." She pleaded. He sighed, slumping against the pillows again.

"I'd rather not. I'd wake Ichijo. I'm going back to sleep, so go shower. Surely you won't protest if use your shower once you're done?" He drawled.

"..."

"It's your fault I'm so tired anyway. Letting me stay for a while longer is the least you can do after yesterday, Rima." He stated, cracking an eye open.

"...fine!" She huffed, throwing back the quilt, grabbing a spare uniform and some towels and striding into the bathroom.

* * *

He watched as Rima left the room, her light, almost translucent, hair falling from her usually pristine pig-tails. He smirked. _'Heh, she's so easily flustered. This is fun'_. His eyes trailed along the wall, meeting the mirror that hung there. His brows knitted together, the smirk falling from his face. _'She probably didn't see anything. Better safe than sorry though' _Shiki thought, crossing over to the offending mirror and tossing a blouse over it, Ruka's he presumed judging by the way it was compulsively folded. His ears picked up the sound of a shower running. With a sigh, he went back to the bed, pausing only to pull the curtain roughly, closing the gap. _'All this sunlight so suddenly, what a pain. What I'd give for a coffin, just like the good old days.'_

* * *

A few hours later, Kaname called the entire class to the foyer for a meeting. Rima had finally managed to get Shiki from her room, then tried to explain to Ruka what had happened. Judging by the condescending tone she replied in, and the not at all subtle smirk, Ruka hadn't believed a word. Heaving a heavy sigh, Rima leaned against the wall of the crowded room, waiting for Kaname to stop his whispered conversation with Ichijo and get on with that he wanted to tell them. Straightening up, Kaname cleared his throat. Instantly, all eyes were on him, everyone's attention undivided.

"Well, I have called you all here because the Chairman informed me that, in celebration of the exams being over and the approaching _holiday_," judging by the way he said the word, Kaname clearly didn't deem Halloween a holiday, "Cross Academy will be hosting a Masquerade Ball. An inter-class call may I add."

The crowds reactions varied, from excited to appalled. Rima's was appalled. _'Oh yes, because the last dance went sooo well. Maybe this time, rather than a homicidal pureblood being murdered, we'll get a visiting werewolf. Oh, while the Chairman's trying to put all his students in more peril than they inadvertently live in, why not invite some of the fey too? I'm sure they'd love to get their nasty little claws into the unsuspecting humans' _Rima's thoughts were surprisingly snide. It wasn't as though she had anything particularly against the fey creatures, she just knew what they could, and most definitely would, do to the humans who couldn't see them. Werewolves on the other hand...Her hate for them needed no explanation, nor a basis. It was just part of a vampires nature. This Academy was so unpredictable nowadays, Rima would hardly be surprised if they started letting in werewolves too.

"The majority of you have probably attended a Masquerade ball before, however, for the sake of those that haven't, I'll explain what it entails. Firstly, costumes. You may dress up as any_mystical _being you like apart from a vampire. We won't be taking any chances. Secondly, you will all wear a mask that hides the majority of your face. You are not to remove this mask at any time. Finally, you may dance and socialize with the members of the Day Class, but you are not to harm them in any way, nor to do anything that may reveal our secret. All the Academy's rules still apply, the drinking of blood is prohibited, be it from their class or ours. That is all. The Dance will take place on Halloween night, this coming Saturday. You will all be granted leave of the Academy tomorrow evening to purchase your costumes and anything else you may need from the town. Therefore, classes will be canceled that night. That is all." He finished his speech, having not taken a breath throughout, but appearing not to need to. Kaname abruptly left the room, Ichijo trailing along behind him, not looking to pleased. Not much of a change of late then. The once always smiling Ichijo seemed to be, for lack of a better word, depressed since his return. At least, that's how it seemed to Rima. She was worried, but found it best not to pry. She had other things on her mind at the moment, and Ichijo and herself hadn't spoken since his warning to stay away from Shiki. Speaking, or thinking rather, of Shiki, said vampire had just joined her, leaning on the wall next to her.

"This is all rather...ridiculous, isn't it?" He stated, frowning towards the wall to his left.

"Yes. I wonder what the Chairman's next bright idea will be. I think, rather than co-existence, he's just trying to amuse himself by thinking up crazy ideas to see what happens." She replied, following his eyes to see what he was now glaring at.

"Hmm...I'll see you later, Rima. I forgot to take a bloodtablet when I got up." He said shortly, striding up the stairs leading to the dorm rooms. _'Liar. I saw him take a bloodtablet.'_ Walking across the marble floors, her heeled school boots echoing in the now empty foyer, she crossed over to the other side of the room, staring into the mirror that hung upon the wall Shiki had been glaring at. _'Another mirror? Shiki seems to have something against them recently. He covered up the one in his room, the one in my room was covered when I left the bathroom, now he's glaring at them too? This is just bizarre...maybe...'_

Rima peered into the mirror, her own reflection mimicking her actions, as she tried to see something other than her own cerulean eyes in the glass. Sighing, she straightened up. _'What's wrong with me all of a sudden? I'm losing it. I'll be as bad as the Chairman soon enough'_.


	6. Chapter 6

"Rima? What do you think about this dress?" Ruka asked, plucking yet another dress from the rack. Rima repressed a sigh, and turned to face her golden haired companion. Assessing the dress, she frowned. _'It's no different than the last seventeen dresses she's shown me'._

"It's lovely. You should get that one." She smiled.

"Hmmm...I'm not sure...Let's look around some more." Ruka replied, returning the dress to it's rack and walking towards the exit. _'You've got to be frickin kidding me'_ Rima thought, scowling at Ruka's retreating back. The two had been in the Town for about four hours now shopping for their costumes for the Masquerade Ball, but had gotten nowhere.

"Rima? Are you coming?" Ruka's voice drifted back.

"Yeah." Rima sighed softly, knowing Ruka would hear her, and followed her from the shop.

"They don't have much variety, do they?" Ruka said when Rima joined her.

"Not really. I didn't expect much though." Rima replied, scanning the store fronts for anything of l, but iinterest.

"It's so easy for men, isn't it? All they have to find is a themed tux and a mask, whilst girls have to find a dress, mask, shoes, make-up, hair accessories. Not forgetting that they _all_ have to match! Then men probably won't even _notice_ the effort we put into it." Ruka continued, starting one of her frequent rants on men. _'All the more frequent since you've realised your feelings for Kain...Heh, just too stubborn to act on it'._

"I agree completely. We shouldn't even bother." Rima replied automatically, knowing that Ruka would continue regardless of what she said.

"Exactly! However, if we didn't, they'd notice then! Then _we'd_ look bad! We just can't win!" Ruka exclaimed.

"Yep."

"It's todays society that's the problem. You know what the cause of the problem is Rima?"

"Let me guess...Men?"

"I'll tell you, Rima! It's men!" She stated, ignoring Rima's correct guess. Knowing that actually answering Ruka was completely unnecarssary, Rima tuned her out and let her mind wander. Her first thought was, surprisingly, un-Shiki related. Rather, her mind immediatley went to her next closest friend, Takuma Ichijo. She'd been seeing less and less of him after his warning. _'Is he avoiding me?'_. Rima also noted his less-than-perfect appearence. Of course any human wouldn't see any problems. Only a vampire can see the smaller details. For example, rather than the natural pale skin, Takuma was looking pallid. A greenish tinge to his skin. _'Perhaps he's ill?'._ Also, he never smiled at all anymore, a sure fire sign that there was something the matter with him. He was becoming reclusive, only coming out of his room for blood tablets and occasionally class. On the rare occasions he did come out of his room, he barely spoke to anyone, even if they spoke to him first. _'He's never been like this before, and I've known him almost as long as I've known Shiki'._ On any attempts to talk to him, Rima had been averted, though politely. It was getting on her last nerve, to say the least. _'I'll just have to force him to talk then. Perhaps he's in some sort of trouble...In the past, I would have had no doubt he'd come to me if he was, but now...Now, I'm not sure at all'._ A gasp pulled her from her thoughts, reminding her where she was and who she was with. Unknowingly, Rima had followed Ruka all the way to the outskirts of the village; they were very close to being out of bounds. Naturally, only somewhere they shouldn't be would Ruka find something to interest her.

"Rima! We _must_ go in here. I just saw the _perfect_ costume for you!" The (_'Fastly becoming annoying!'_ Rima couldn't help thinking) blonde beamed, looping an arm through Rima's and pulling her towards a shop Rima had never seen before. She could see exactly why Ruka would like it. It looked very elegant, clearly expensive, and resembled an antiques shop. A little bell dinged when they pushed through the door, announcing their presence. The interior was just as striking as the shop front. The walls were crimson and gold, wooden flooring covered by a thick rug that patched the walls. From her position by the door, Rima could already see three floor length, golden rimmed and...emerald encrusted mirrors. Her azure eyes widened when she saw the jewels. Rima had never been one for exquisite jewelry and the such, and she knew next to nothing about them, but she stilled liked to look upon them. If someone were to ask what her favorite jewel was, she would always answer emerald. Mainly because it was the only one she knew, but she also thought the shades of green, everchanging in the light, was very beautiful. Whilst Rima had been examining the shop, Ruka had meandered of, probably to find the costume she'd been squealing about before she'd dragged her into the shop. _'There's no harm in looking around I suppose'._ With that thought, Rima scanned the racks, looking for anything different than the hundreds of dresses she'd already had shoved under her nose, but nothing stood out.

"Can I help you?" A middle-aged, prissy looking woman asked, sauntering over to Rima. Rima forced a polite smile to her lips.

"No thank you. I'm just waiting for someone." She replied. She felt, more than saw, the scowl on the woman's face.

"This isn't a waiting room. If you have no intention of buying anything, then get ou-"

"Rima! I've got it!" Ruka called, cutting the shop attendants dismissal short. Spinning around, the woman saw Ruka striding over, two no doubt expensive dresses clutched in her hands.

"I apologise for the inconvenience. If you wish for me to leave, then I will do just that." Rima decided to be awkward, not liking the way the human had spoken down to her. She wasn't usually conceited, thinking herself better than humans, but everyone had their moments, and Rima was not in a very patient mood. It was taking everything she had to refrain from wringing her friends throat, hoping that would mean getting out of here. Ruka frowned, whilst the woman's eyes grew wide at the prospect of losing a customer.

"No! No! I don't wish for you to leave! Accept my sincerest apologies for my rudeness, Ms...?" She spluttered, trailing off. Rima quirked a brow, but didn't answer, instead slipping past her towards Ruka.

"So, what did you find?" Rima asked. Ruka beamed again.

"It's absolutely perfect for you, Rima. Here," She thrust an armful of clothes into Rima's unsuspecting hands, "I also found something for me that I like."

"About time." Rima replied, frowning down at the bundle of silk and velvet piled in her arms.

"Yes, yes. You're very impatient, I get it. Your torture shall be over soon. We just need to try these on, then we can get going. Come on, the changing rooms are over here." Ruka rolled her eyes, waltzing off to the far end of the shop. Rima followed reluctantly. She rarely had to shop and buy things. Usually, she was given things from her photo shoots, which had been made especially to fit her, so she needn't bother with the trivial act of searching for sizes and trying on. _'Oh well. Do this and I can leave. Finally'._ Ruka disappeared behind a rich velvet curtain, Rima taking the one next to it. She was surprised. Ruka hadn't done a bad job. Apparently Ruka decided Rima was being some sort of...pixie? Fairie? Either way, something foresty. The main color scheme seemed to be dark green and gold. Picking up the dress from the pile she'd dropped onto the floor, she assessed it. Thin golden spaghetti straps, a corset-like middle that was a deep green with gold strings, which trailed into a forest green skirt. _'Looks like I'm a pixie then'._ Wanting to get this over with as soon as possible, Rima changed into the dress choppily, then turned to look in the mirror. _'Huh. Not bad'._ The dress clung to her like a second skin, tight in all the right places, but still managed to look classy. The hemline was just above her knee, just the right length.

"Rima? Are you done? I want to have a look." Ruka's voice came from outside the cubicle.

Yeah." She replied, pulling back the curtain and stepping out. Ruka looked stunning, of course. She'd selected a blue and silver costume, resembling a water nymth, what with her golden hair falling down her back. Rima noted she was also wearing a mask, and assumed Ruka had intended for Rima to wear hers. Ruka's mask was quite a large one, covering her forehead, nose and most of her cheeks. It was a mixture of cobalt blue, cyan blue, sapphire with sapphire entwining throughout. Rima assumed the downwards turn to Ruka's mouth was due to Rima's lack of a mask.

"Did you not see the mask, Rima?". Translation: _Go and get the mask on. Now._

"No, I didn't. Did you give me one?" Translation: _I don't need to try on a mask._

"Yes. I did." Translation: _Yes you do._

"Oh, well I didn't see it. Sorry." Translation: _How big do you think my head is Ruka?_.

Ruka tsked, striding past Rima and searching through the pile of clothes, coming back with more than a mask.

"Clearly you're blind. Here, they're apart of your costume. You'll look silly without them." She said, clasping something to Rima's back and shoving a mask in her hand.

"...Oh hell no." Rima blanched, looking across to the mirror across from them. Large fake wings, looking as though they were made from entwined vines, protruded from the back of her dress. Not only were they surpisingly heavy, but they were _huge_. Rima had never been a very tall girl, standing smaller than all the others in the Night Class, but wearing these wings only made her height deficiency more pronounced.

"Put on the mask, Rima." Ruka was getting impatient. Sighing, Rima placed the mask onto her face.

"Now look! See! I told you it'd look great all together." Ruka beamed. Rima sighed, looking in the mirror. The mask matched the dress and wings perfectly. Mostly emeral green, with golden vines around the sides. It was a perfect fit, not needing to be held on by string or anything.

"Yeah. It's great. Yours is great too. Can we go now?" Rima pleaded.  
"Fine fine. Impatient little-"

"Great. I'm getting changed."

* * *

"You've got to have a costume. You insist on going, though I think it'd be a better idea if you didn't, so you have to blend in...Why are you going anyway?...You aren't planning to do something to Yuuki-chan, are you?" Takuma frowned at the smirking vampire before him, suspicions rising. Shiki let out a derisive laugh.

"I won't harm Yuuki-_chan_. I just think it will be amusing to see this whole co-existion theory in play. Nothing more. Anyway, where am I supposed to get a costume this late?" Shiki replied, leaning back in his chair.

"I assumed you'd do something like this, so I'm completely prepared." Takuma retorted, disappearing from and reappearing back in the room, a large white box in hand.

"...What's that?" Shiki's eyes narrowed. Takuma smirked, mimicking Shiki perfectly.

"This is a box, _Shiki._"

"...Alright smartass. What's _in _the box?"

"Your costume." Takuma threw the box to him, turning to leave the room.

"Enjoy. I think I chose the perfect costume for you." He added.

* * *

"Heh, who knew that cheery little Ichijo kid could be so sarcastic." Rido snickered the next day, standing before the mirror, scrutinizing his reflection. Takuma had been perfectly right. He had chose the perfect costume, even Rido had to agree. A prim tuxedo, stunning crimson and black. An obsidian mask, plain but elegant. Sounds normal enough, no? Doesn't sound much like a costume for a masquerade ball? Shoving his hand back in the box, Rido extracted the last two parts of the costume. Horns and a tail. How fitting. Fixing the horns into his chesnut hair, he looked back to the mirror.

"I like this look. What do you think, son?" Rido asked, causing his reflection to fade away, replaced by black. _'He's being stubborn again I see'._

"What? Giving me the silent treatment?"

"_...Fuck...You!"_ Shiki wheezed, not even having the energy to try and drag himself towards the glass.

"My my. What terrible manners. I'll let you off though. I understand how _frustrating_ this all must be. Anyway, you don't need to answer. Just listen. I need you to be _very_ quiet tonight, understand? All your thrashing about and shouting is giving me a terrible headache. I have big plans for tonight, so lets play a game. Want to hear the rules?"

No answer.

"Of course you do. Alright. You pretend to be a mute, whilst I seduce Rima. Simple enough, isn't i-" He was cut off by a very animalistic growl.

"_Touch her and it'll be the last thing you fucking do!"_ Shiki's voice was on the verge of breaking, his throat absolutely raw, chest constricted due to bloodlust to the point that words were becoming near impossible.

"...Is that a threat, Senri? I hardly think you're in any position to be making threats. If anyone will be dying, I am fairly certain it will be you...Surely you'll agree? Can't you feel it? Your strength depleteing? Your sanity ebbing away? It won't be long before you're just a shell of your former self, even if I do decide to be generous and give you back your body. Choose your words very carefully when you speak to me. I dislike being threatened, even if they are empty words." Rido snarled, waving his hand sharply. The glasses black appearance vanished, replaced by his reflection again.

* * *

"Rima, pass me a bloodtablet, would you?" Ruka asked, opening her mouth wide whilst she applied mascara to her eyelashes. _'She's the third person I've seen doing that when putting on mascara...What the hell is with that? Can you not put it on with your mouth closed?'_. Rima stood from her chair, already finished getting ready, and grabbed a case of bloodtablets.

"You've hardly put on any make-up, you know." Ruka noted disapprovingly, dropping one of the tablets into the water. Rima watched the tablet dissolve fascinatedly, the clear water morphing to crimson. Ruka sighed.

"Seiren. I like your costume. You're a pheonix, right?" Ruka addressed the silent Seiren when Rima didn't respond, chugging back the 'blood'.

"Yes." Seiren responded in her harp-like voice. Ruka's eyebrow twitched in irritation, clearly wanting to actually have a conversation.

"Are either of you planning to meet anyone there?" She asked.

"No. I'm planning to observe everyone, make sure they behave." Seiren replied. Ruka turned to Rima, eyes expectant.

"No. I'm not. Are you?". A blush stained Ruka's usually ivory complexion. She cleared her throat, and exaggeratedly looked at the clock on the wall.

"Oh, look. We're pushing being fashionably late. You two ready?" Ruka stood, placing her mask on, careful not to smudge her make-up.

"Yes." Seiren crossed the room, opening the door for the other two. Rima sighed, following them from the room. _'This should be completely and utterly boring.'_


	7. Chapter 7

"...Why don't you just ask Aido where he is?" Rima finally asked, having gotten tired of watching Ruka glaring through the crowd for Kain. She snapped her head around to throw her glare at Rima.

"I have no idea who you're talking about. I'm not looking for anyone." Ruka scowled, crossing her arms across her chest and leaning back on the wall. Rima wasn't fooled. She could smell the blood rushing to Ruka's cheeks beneath the mask.

"Oh. My mistake. Then I suppose it wouldn't interest you that Kain is right over there, speaking to some random chick." Rima feigned a sigh, eyes darting to Ruka's to see her glare intensify at the girl. _'Poor girl. She's just lucky Ruka doesn't have a harmful power like the rest of us'._ It was true. Unlike Aido's ice, Kain's fire, Shiki's complete control of his blood as a weapon and Rima's electricity, Ruka possessed quite a unique but problematic power. She could manipulate the shadows, trapping someone in them, smothering them. However, during a cloudy day, it was essentially useless.

"I just remembered, there's a _very _important matter I _must_ discuss with Akatsuki. Excuse me." Ruka said rapidly before striding across the room, slightly too fast for someone supposed to be pretending to be human, towards Kain and the girl. Rima smirked, a small burst of laughter bubbling from her lips. _'It's nice that she's stopped chasing around after Kaname-sama. That little obsession went on far too long'. _Her eyes widened when she caught sight of a familiar head of golden hair. _'Takuma?'_

* * *

_'I'm going to get wrinkles at this rate. Where's that evil son of a...Ah, there he is...'._ Takuma sped through the open patio doors, eyeing Shiki suspiciously. _'All that pestering to come here and he's just staring off like a space cadet'. _Said boy was leaning against the balconey railing, staring off into the forest, mouth set in a thin line. Takuma's eyes trailed over Shiki's costume, feeling quite proud of how he'd captured the current Shiki. A devil couldn't be more appropriate for the monster that had taken over and was most definitely terrorizing his best friends life. Not to mention Takuma didn't like the way he'd seen Shiki, _'No. Rido.'_, looking at Rima.

He was supposed to be after Yuuki, not messing with Rima. He knew how confused she must be, and hated that he couldn't tell her anything. He wished he could, but he was bound by his Grandfather.

An age old technique that only the elders knew. The ability to enter someone's mind and control what they could say and do. Asato had imprinted it into Takuma's mind that he wasn't to tell anyone of the Rido/Shiki situation, nor was he to go against anything Rido should decide to do. It was killing him.

"Ichijo. Is there a reason you're lurking there like a goblin? Perhaps you've fallen for me?" Shiki turned around, sneering. Takuma almost scowled at the bastard. _'If it belonged to him, I'd wipe that smirk right off his face'._

"Afraid I'm not that way inclined, _Shiki._ Just wondering why, after all your complaining to come tonight, you're just standing out here." Takuma replied, crossing the small distance between them to stand beside him.

"Would you rather I play with all the little girlies? They do look like fun." Shiki turned to look through the patio doors, assessing the excited girls with a contemplative expression. Golden orbs widened.

"No! I wouldn't prefer that at all!" Takuma exclaimed, a look of horror crossing his face. Shiki let out a mirthful laugh.

"My, my. Not at all decisive, are we? No need to worry. I'm not interested in any of _those_ girls anyway-"

"Because you're interested in Rima?" Takuma finished, his voice surprisingly low and edgy. Shiki quirked a brow.

"Does that bother you, Ichijo?" He asked. Takuma was silent for a few minutes, just glaring openly at Shiki, something he did very rarely, before answering.

"Rima is one of my best friends, the other is Shiki. I know better than anyone how he feels for her...and...I don't want you interefering! It's bad enough that you've taken over his-"

"That's enough boy. Stop your little hissy-fit. You never know who's listening." Shiki hissed, voice as low as it could possibly go, clapping a hand over Takuma's mouth, silencing him.

"Now. Listen very carefully. I dislike the way you're speaking to me. However I may _appear_ at the moment, I am your Pureblood master. Should you speak to me that way again, I may lost my temper. When I lose my temper...Well...No-one has yet lived to tell the tale" He warned, a disturbing smile upon his face. The sapphire blue turned to crimson in one of his eyes as his temper overrode his control, causing his facade to slip.

"If you understand, nod." Shiki ordered, his voice not the same as usual. His usually soft tones had become heavy with an underlying timbre that didn't belong in the voice of someone young. Takuma nodded, Shiki's hand slipping away from his mouth.

"Good. Now, go inside and leave me alone."

* * *

_'Damn it, Aido! I finally saw Takuma outside of his room and you have to pull me off before I can talk to him!'_. Rima cursed the baby-faced blond, finally managing to get away from him when he started chasing after some Day Class girl Rima vaguely recognized as the girl prefects friend. She'd just been about to follow Takuma out onto the patio when Aido had popped up out of no-where and dragged her off to dance, saying she had to at least once. It was annoying that she was so easily identifiable, even in costume. Of course, he had known because of her scent and not because of her appearance, but it was still irritating. She'd only known it was him because of his costume. Only he would be...brave enough, to wear something like that. Yes. He'd come as...a vampire. Fake fangs over his real ones and everything. _'Kaname-sama is definitely going to kill him'. _Rima veered through the clusters of people to the patio, hoping Takuma hadn't done another of his disappearing acts, which he was becoming so good at recently.

Outside, there was a cool breeze, comfortably cold. She always preferred the cold to the heat. The moon was out, casting a half-light to the area. Looking around her, she couldn't see Takuma._'Damn it! He's pulled another Houdini on me...'_. A sigh escaped her lips. She meandered over to the balconey, leaning over the railing. _'Geez. What's with him? He's getting as bad as Shiki. I mean, what the hell happened? Both of them are so different now. It's like they're different people...Pod people maybe? Ick. I saw that movie. That was gross...People coming out of flowers? I think it was something like that...You'd think aliens would have better forms of travel than plants. Not exactly cool, is it?'_. Lost in her pointless thoughts, she didn't notice the figure skulking up behind her until he'd wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest.

"Ah!" She squeaked, wrenching her neck around to see the pervert grabbing her.

"Awfully jumpy aren't we, Rima?" Shiki breathed into her ear. He chuckled when he felt her shiver within his grasp.

"Cold?" He asked softly, smiling politely. _'She doesn't seem to like it when I smirk. Hard to stop. Still, lets see if I can imitate my son better'._

"N-no." She replied, trying to keep her voice even. _'How can I be cold when you're so close? Talk about body heat. Actually...we should only be this hot when...we've recently fed...'_

"Shiki? You're really warm. Have you fed recently?" Rima enquired, turning to face him in hope that he would drop his arms. He didn't. If anything, he tightened his hold.

"Hmm? No. Are you offering?" He responded, lowering his head to rest on her shoulder, sniffing at her throat. She froze at the even closer position he'd put himself in.

"No! I'm not! Now stop it before someone sees" Rima hissed, placing her hand on his chest to push him away. Before she could do so, his hands grasped hers, holding them there.

"I could care less if people see." He murmured, his face close to hers. _'He's...too...close...'_

"...You should wear your hair down more often. It looks much better like this." He entwined one of his hands in her platinum hair, lifting the strands to his lips. _'Far...too...close...'_. And getting closer still. Dropping her hair, he leaned forward, his lips mere inches from hers. He didn't get any closer though, his eyes intent on hers. Their breaths mingled together with the proximity, fanning against the others cheeks.

_**'No! Get away!'**_

Just as Rima was about to close the distant between the two, Shiki's face became a mask of pain. He leapt away from her, hands clutching his head, a moan of pain hissing through clenched teeth.

"Shi-Shiki?" Rima exclaimed, stepping towards him, only to have him glare fiercly at her.

"Stay away!" He barked. Rima almost flinched at the tone of his voice. _Almost._

"Fine." She said, eyes hard. She waited for him to right himself. After a few minutes, his hands dropped from his head, his laboured breathing evening out, his back straightening. She could smell the tang of blood, her throat tightening instinctively at the scent. Still, she'd had a blood tablet earlier, so she managed to prevent from ravaging the boy.

"Well, if you're okay, I'm off. Goodnight." She said sharply, bowing her head slightly before striding off, not giving Shiki a chance to say a word. _'..Shit!'_. He scowled, punching the railing. The brick cracked immediately beneath his brute strength, showring the ground beneath with rubble and dust.

* * *

_His heart almost stopped. He so wished she's push him away, banish him from her life. Why couldn't she just do that? Why couldn't she just be safe? That bastard almost kissed her!_

'No-one! No-one touches her but me!'.

_He'd cried out as hard as he could, trudged up the last of his energy just to get to his feet, and flung himself at the glass. Again and again. Crying out for __**him**_ _to get away from her. And it worked! He'd hurt the bastard! He'd gotten Rima safe! He finally relaxed when he heard her say she was leaving, and he knew that tone. He knew that tone _oh so _well. She was pissed. Oh god, was she pissed. It didn't matter though. It worked this way. She'd be safe from him this way. His Rima would be safe._

* * *

She'd been avoiding him since then. He'd tried speaking to her, yet she was getting as good at disappearing as Takuma. He, of course, was very pleased with the turn of events. Naturally, he was curious as to what happened to get Rima so pissed, but as long as she was staying away from Shiki, it didn't matter. Still, Takuma couldn't help thinking, if she'd just taken his advice to begin with, all of this could have been avoided. That was Rima for you though. Stubborn till the end.

"...Hey, Rima? ...Is something wrong? You've seemed kinda...off recently..." Ruka asked hesitantly. It had been five days since the dance, and Ruka was right. Rima had been, for lack of a better word, sulking. Not that she'd admit she was sulking of course. She was adament on the fact that she was just annoyed. He'd been leading her on, then had the nerve to talk to her like that? The cheek! She wouldn't stand it! However, no matter how much she told herself this, the fact was, she was disappointed. She'd _wanted_ to kiss him. Hell, she was just going to when he'd leapt away like she had the plague or something. (Impossible of course. Vampires had always been immune to the plague).

"No. I'm fine. So, you and Kain looked pretty cosy at the dance. I take it you chased away that girl then?" Rima changed the subject away from herself, knowing that now she wouldn't have to partake in the conversation. Ruka and Kain had _finally_ gotten together the day after the dance, and Ruka took any chance she was presented with to go on and on about him. Rima repressed a sigh and listened to Ruka's crooning on her new beau.

* * *

"You little-! Ugh...I was so damn close..." Rido growled, glaring into the black void his son lay somewhere in. He hadn't expected an answer. He knew Shiki had used what little strength he had to stop him from getting any closer to Rima. A smirk pulled at the lips on his borrowed face.

"Hmph. No matter though. See, that was just a warm-up act, Senri. Sure, you've made things a tad more difficult than I'd originally planned, but things will still go smoothly enough. Heh, and there's nothing you can even do about it, Senri. It's over. You lose, I win. If you'd just stayed quiet as I'd told you to, maybe things could have been different. I warned you. You've signed your own death warrent, son." Rido stated, snickering. He looked at his wrist exaggeratedly.

"Oh! Look at the time! Almost time for the photo shoot!...Oops! I completely forgot to tell Rima about it. Best go do that now, hmm? Goodnight, Senri." Rido flicked his wrist, returning the mirror back to normal.

* * *

"Oi! Rima! What're you doing?" Aido jogged over to her as she made her way to class. She rose an eyebrow at the blond.

"I'm walking, Aido." She replied. Aido rolled his sky blue eyes.

"Oh, ha ha. Very clever. I _meant_ why're you going to class? Your agents car is waiting outside the Moon Dorms. You must have a shoot."

"...Eh? Are you sure? I don't remember her telling me anything about that...Crap...Better go then. Thanks Aido!" She called back, speeding off down the path back to the Moon Dorms.

* * *

When she got there, she saw Aido was right. Fujiko-san's car was waiting on the courtyard outside the Moon Dorm building. _'Crap! I'm sure she didn't tell me anything about this!'_. Within a blink of an eye, she was next to the car, jumping in.

"Hmph. Thought you weren't coming." The last voice she wanted to hear at the moment stated. Rima's teeth clenched.

"I forgot. Sorry." She replied, before turning to stare out of the window.

They drove in an awkward silence, neither even trying to break it. They arrived an hour and a half later; the studio was an unbearably long drive from Cross Academy. Shiki jumped out of the car first, and strode straight to the door without waiting for Rima. _'Hmph. Talk about lack of manners'._ She followed him reluctantly, not failing to notice that Fujiko-san was no-where to be seen. Usually she came sprinting out, smothering them in a hug before dragging them into the changing rooms.

Rima followed Shiki into Studio two, assuming he knew what was going on.

* * *

"Shiki...What is this?" Rima breathed, taking in her surroundings, forgetting her anger with him. What had formerly been the set of their photo shoot had been transformed into...a garden?

"Hmm...Nice isn't it? I believe this is going to be the set of our next shoot. Some sort of natural theme. They'll probably have us wearing togas." Shiki sighed, wandering over to the fake trees, his hand trailing along their reaslistic bark. _'So, she's talking to me again. Good'._

"Why...Why did you bring me here?" She asked, hesitant. He didn't turn to look at her.

"You've seemed vexed lately, Rima. It worries me. You don't usually keep things from me, why start now? Have you lost trust in me?" He said, his tone gentle, but a smirk she could not see plastered on his face. _'She would surely of lost trust in me by now, I'll make her feel guilty for it. She'll want to make up for her coldness to me, if I can make it seem that I haven't changed at all...That I'm still __**her Shiki**__'._

"I...What?," She laughed nervously, "Nothing's wrong with me. Of course I haven't _lost_ trust in you."

"The way you said lost, it was strange. Are you insinuating that it was never there to lose?" He replied softly. _'His...His voice is so strained! Surely he's not crying...'_ Rima blanched at the thought. Shiki was not, in fact, on the verge of tears. Rather, he was trying not to laugh. The things he was saying were so out of character for him, Rido Kuran, he found it hilarious. Would the boy say things like this to Rima? Would she care if he started now?

"Shiki...I've always trusted you, you know that. Never doubt it. I was just...I was upset about what happened at the dance" She admitted, a blush rising to stain her ivory complexion. He spun around then, eyes meeting hers. She gasped when their eyes locked, for it wasn't Shiki's eyes she was seeing. At least, not the eyes of Shiki she'd expected to see. Crimson and blue stared back at her intensely. _'He's always so different now, but much more so when his eyes are those colours...'_

"Then prove it." He said, eyes smoldering, holding a hand out to her. Rima blinked.

"Eh?" She said blankly. His eyes narrowed, hand dropped, stepping towards her.

"Prove it. Prove you trust me. Stop fighting me off, trust me not to hurt you." It wasn't his words that surprised Rima most, though they did, it was his tone, the look in his mismatched eyes, as he said them. He was pleading. His hand grasped her blazer sleeve, pulling her flush against his chest, his arms locking around her small waist.

"Trust me...I'll never hurt you..." He breathed against her neck. She shivered involenterally as his lips formed the words against her throat.

_'Got you.'_ he thought.

"You know the truth...don't you?" A blush crept upon Rima's cheeks, her mind desperately telling her that something wasn't right, that she should push him away, to not trust him, but she did none of these things. She _felt_ right in his arms.

_'Hook...'_

"...T-the truth?" She stammered, more from nerves than fright at the moment. She couldn't be scared at that moment, even though that logical voice in her mind was telling her that that was the emotion she should be feeling right now...not at all what she was really feeling.

"...That I love you." He pulled back to meet her eyes again, his arms still tight as a vice around her, yet she didn't feel trapped by him in any way. Rima felt her eyes widen. _'No...he couldn't...It's only me who's supposed to love him...'_

_'Line...'_

"We've been together our whole lifes Rima. It's only natural that I feel this way...However, if you do not reciprocate...then I understand completely." He stated, his arms releasing her, turning away from her. Rima didn't even think, she just acted.

"Don't!" She exclaimed, grasping his hand tightly in her own.

_'And sinker.'_ He smirked, before composing his features and turning back to her. Her face was conflicted, torn between wanting to confess, and wanting to run. _'What good can come of this?...'_

"I just put myself on the line Rima. You haven't even answered me. Unless you intend to answer me then please...let me go." He whispered, looking to the floor.

"I...I love you too..." She murmured, so softly he probably wouldn't of heard her were he a human. _'Oh, I'm just too good! I'd started thinking this girl was a lost cause...Looks like you're in luck Senri.'_

"...You don't mean that." He stated simply, not looking at her.

"What? I do! I really do! For a while now...I...I've been really confused...I never would have thought that you felt the same." She hung her head, finding herself unable to look at him.

"...You really do?" He breathed.

"Yes..." He grasped hold of her chin, forcing her head up, and crushed his lips against hers. Surprised, Rima jerked back, but Shiki latched a hand around her neck and forced her head forward again, forcing their lips to meet. _'Shiki...is kissing me?'._ His lips were like velvet; soft, but a strange sensation against the skin. Rima leaned into the kiss, tip-toeing to wrap her arms around his neck. She went limp in his arms as his soft mouth parted her lips, moving against hers firmly. Shiki deepened the kiss, tilting her head to have better access to her mouth. Pointed fangs scraped lightly over Rima's bottom lip, teasing her, tempting her.

Without breaking the kiss, Shiki pulled her over to a strategically placed blanket and laid her down. Need for air caused them to resurface, panting. Rima looked up at the boy...no, the man looming over her. Everything was drawing her too him. His mysterious air, his suddenly dark and enigmatic eyes. She was hopeless to resist, even though _everything_ was telling her to push him off of her, to run from the studio as fast as she could.

"Rima..._Trust me_" It sounded very much like an order, his voice deeper than she'd ever heard it, sounding very much like another's voice. She squirmed under his intent gaze, suddenly feeling very much like a butterfly caught in a net.

"Shi...Shiki, I don't thi-" His lips captured hers once again, cutting off whatever half-hearted protest she was about to make. One hand wandered to her head and tugged on one of the bobbles holding her hair in a pigtail till it came out, then did the same to the other.

"You look so much better with your hair down..." He breathed, entwining his fingers in her golden tresses.

"Shiki...We...We should be going...It's going to be morning soon..." Rima panted, trying to ignore the warmth radiating from the chest pressed against hers.

"You worry too much...," He bent his head down to press a chaste kiss to the bend of her neck, "Perhaps I should help you lighten up?". He nipped playfully at her collarbone, earning him a gasp. He grazed his fangs up her neck and sucked on her earlobe.

"Shiki...Sto-"

"I doubt you really want me to stop. Why deny us both what we want, Rima? That's just selfish, don't you think?" His voice was too persuasive for her liking, too tempting.

"We should go back." She said firmly, pulling his head up to meet her eyes.

"We should. However, isn't it much more fun to do the opposite of what we should every once in a while, Rima? You say you trust me, that you love me, yet you're pushing me away. Again. Why don't you just succumb? I'll be gentle, I promise." He whispered huskily, mismatched eyes smoldering once again. Rima tore her eyes from his, finding herself wanting to do just as he says, to succumb completely. '...Why shouldn't I? It's what I've wanted for a long time...He wants me too...Why not?'. Rima tentatively leaned froward and pressed her lips to his, not nearly as bold nor rough as he had been. 'Finally...Starting to think Senri's little girlfriend was frigid'


	8. Chapter 8

When Rima awoke, she was alone. Rays of sunlight played across her elfin face, elicting a growl. Cracking an eye open, she surveyed her surroundings. _'...Oh crap...What did I do?'_

She was wrapped up in the picnic blanket she and Shiki had...Well, where they'd been. Her uniform had been tossed in random directions, bits hanging off the fake trees, others in the fake bushes. She hurried to pick them up, quickly putting them on, searching for any sign of Shiki in the seemingly empty studio. _'He...He left?'_.

It angered her that she was so bothered by that fact. A frown marred her perfect features. _'...This... All of this... It doesn't feel right... I feel...Dirty. Do people usually feel this way?'_. She felt horrible. Her skin was crawling. She hadn't expected to feel so...disgusted. With what happened, and herself. _'...I need to shower'_. With that conclusion in mind, she whipped her mobile phone out of her skirt pocket. She wasn't sure whether or not he'd answer, but she needed a ride back to the Academy. When she'd peeked through the window, she'd been surprised to find the car gone. Even if Shiki had left, he could have had the decency to leave her a ride! _'...I wouldn't have thought __**Shiki**_ _would have just... ditched me here'._

Rima dialed the familiar number, hoping he wouldn't ask any questions. She almost cried out in relief when the dial tone was replaced by a voice.

* * *

"Rima?" Takuma asked tentatively, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. '_Why is she calling me? If she wants to see me, can't she just come to my room? Even if I don't answer anymore, she usually tries'._

"Hey Takuma. Sorry to call so early but...I need a ride." Her harp-like tones leaked through the receiver hesitantly. He blinked, sitting up properly in his bed, the sheets falling to pool around his waist.

"Need a ride? Why? Where are you?" He asked, eyes flickering over to the alarm clock on his bedside table. _'...Eh? Half nine in the morning? ...Rima's never up this early. I doubt she's _ever _been out of bed before midday'._ There was silence on the other end of the line, before a sigh.

"I'm at the studios. We...had a photo shoot last night. I must have fallen asleep. I only just woke up, and I have no way of getting back. I _am_ sorry, but can you come pick me up? Please? It's really sunny..." She responded. Her lie was blatant to him, she had never been the best liar and he knew her too well. He closed his eyes, rising a hand to massage his temples. _'I can't sleep without something happening...What's happened now? ...Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe she's telling the truth and I'm misinterpreting her. I hope'._

"I'm on my way." He stated before hanging up. Tossing the sheets from around him, he rose fluidly from the mattress, trying and failing to ignore the early morning chill seeping through his open window. _'Should have closed that...'_ He thought absently, quickly tossing on a pair of jeans and sweater from the floor. The floor was strangely messy. Usually the only thing that littered his floor was manga books. Now, his shelfs, cupboard and desk were empty, _everything_ on the floor. Corssing over to the door, he kicked things out of his way along the way. _'Should I call one of the chauffeurs?...No. I need to talk to her. I'll drive myself... I wonder if I can remember how...I got my license a while back, but I haven't actually drove since then...Oh, how hard can it be?'_

* * *

Very hard, would be the answer. He was just lucky there were no security cameras around, so he wouldn't have to have a _very_ uncomfortable conversation (lecture) with his Grandfather about why he was being asked to compensate such a large sum of money to some modelling studio.

Rima very near had a heart-attack when a large, black Rolls Royce Phantom came crashing through the wall of Studio 2, very near to where she had been standing moments before. Bricks, debris and dust filled the studio, momentarily blinding her. A hand snapped up to cover her mouth, only just managing to stop her breathing in the plaster being pelted at her. _'Takuma's here then'._

Takuma's golden eyes were wide, staring ahead of him sightlessly. _'Where the bloody hell did that wall come from?'_ He thought, stunned.

Rima, regaining her composure, stumbled over to the passenger side of the car and pulled the door open.

"Nice of you to crash in." She smirked, slipping into the car, closing the door behind her. Takuma blinked, then gave a shaky laugh.

"M-maybe I should have kept up the whole driving thing after I got my license..." He replied softly, a small smile on his face. Rima, despite herself and her current state of self-disgust, felt a smile pull at her lips. He actually smiled. It had been so long since he had done, she'd forgotten what it looked liked; Natural. Familiar. Comfortable. She'd missed it. It was short-lived, however. The smile fell from his face, replaced by a frown, as he looked through the windscreen.

"I have no idea how to get the car out of this position..." He admitted. The car _was_ precariously positioned. Takuma had clearly been far over the speed limit, and had gotten some lift before he'd smashed through the wall, as the car had broke the centre of the wall, not from the floor. There was about a metre of wall left beneath the car, balancing directly across the axle. It was rocking slightly, shifting back and forth.

"Er...Maybe we should get out? Push it back, y'know?" Rima suggested, hand going to the door handle. Takuma nodded his agreement, and the two bolted from the car, just as the balance was compromised and the car crashed backwards. Takuma winced.

"...Grandfather's going to kill me..." He murmured, worrying his lip between his teeth. Rima eyed the vehicle, assessing the damage. The front of the car was crushed, dinted and the license plate was no where to be seen. The paint work was scratched, the black of the vehicle now flecked with white and grey. The bumper, which had been unscathed, was smashed in from the impact of a few seconds ago. To add insult to injury, just as Takuma thought the damage couldn't be any worse, the back window decided that was the ideal moment to shatter. A strangled cry escaped his lip. He'd loved that car.

As though all of this wasn't bad enough, sunlight was streaking in through the new opening to the studio. Rima's face crumpled. She officially _hated_ today!

"I'm so sorry, Takuma. I guess I should have just called a cab or something and asked for a tab..." Tears were beginning to well up in her eyes. It was all just too much. Everything with Shiki, and the way Takuma had been distancing himself from her... She was just... feeling really alone. Even more so when she'd woken up alone. _'How could he just... abandon me like that? ...I'd never have thought Shiki would have done that...'_

Takuma looked up from the wreckage of his former car in surprise at the tone of her voice, and blanched. Always the compassionate one, his heartstrings pulled at the sight of one of his oldest and best friends trying not to cry. Car forgotten, he bolted to her side and envoloped her in tight hug.

"Shh. It's okay. Forget about the car. It's my own fault. You can't blame youself for my terrible driving, can you?" He muttured into her hair. Absently, he noted how strange it was that her platinum locks were down, rather than in her trademark pigtails, but didn't say anything. Rima had always been proud, and _never_ allowed herself to cry. Hell, _she_ was always the one comforting someone crying, never the other way round. Even now, when she had every reason to cry, she was trying fruitlessly to stem the flow of her tears, swallowing her sobs.

"Just cry, Rima. It's okay." His arms tightened around her, guilt falling on him like, ironically, a ton of bricks. _'If only I could tell her! I want to tell her so bad... Maybe... Maybe, I could. Rima's smart. If I can manage enough for her to figure it out on her own...'_.

Rima's breathing was shallow and shaky, every breathe laboured inbetween her chest-rattling sobs. Everything that had happened over the past month was just too much. She missed him. She missed Shiki. She wanted Shiki back. _Her_ Shiki. The Shiki she'd always had. The Shiki who'd defend her against insult, breaking out of his silent shell to straighten out any problems she had. The Shiki who'd she'd grown up with. Shared a bed with when they were younger (_'My Shiki would never crassly insist on sharing a bed with me _now_')_. Most of all, she missed just being able to be _around_ him. Without watching him and wondering what the looks he'd give meant, or having to double-guess his every word for any underlying meaning.  
It was only when Takuma tensed that she realized she'd been saying, or more appropriately sobbing, everything she'd been thinking.

"...I know... I want him back too..." Takuma confessed, pulling away from her, his hands moving up to grip her shoulders. Rima frowned.

"You know something... I know you do... Why won't you tell me?" She scowled at how pathetic she was sounding, even to herself, but didn't regret finally asking him. That question had been running through her mind so much. Although Shiki had always been her _best_ friend, Takuma was without doubt a loyal and close friend. She thought of him more like a brother really. When they were kids, and Shiki and Rima first met Takuma, he treated them like they were his little siblings. Probably because they were the youngest at the Society parties they had to go to.

Takuma nodded, eyes scrunched shut. His grip on her shoulders tightened, causing Rima to wince. Takuma didn't seem to notice how vice-like his grip was becoming. Taking a deep breath, he slowly opened his eyes. Apprehension and conflict, fear and determination, regret and guilt; All these emotions were present in his wide, golden hues.

"I... I _can't_ tell you... Not enough, not nearly enough... Even though I want nothing more... I'll try though... I'll tell you as much as I can... But you have to guess the rest..." He was panting, as though he'd run a marathon. Rima nodded, curiosity piqued. Her tears had more or less stopped by now, her attention focused on the struggling blond before her. It was a moment before he spoke again, Rima struggling to keep patient.

"It's...He's...Not!..." His fractured sentence, if it could be called that, was laced with what Rima could only presume was undescribable pain, shocking her.

"Takuma! Takuma, what's wrong?" She exclaimed, about to raise her hands to grasp his face. His grip on her shoulders tightened even more, making it impossible to even twitch a finger, nevermind moving a whole arm.

"Listen! ...It's...Not..." This was all he managed before he crumpled to the floor with a cry of anguish. Rima followed, being pulled along with him, and the two landed on their knees amidst the debris of the cars arrival.

"...What's not what?" Rima squeaked, trying not to let on how much Takuma was hurting her shoulders. He was _really_ strong!

"Shiki! ...Not...Shiki!" He rasped. Storing his words to ponder on later, Rima focused on the current problem.

"Takuma, what's wrong?" Rima demanded, trying to shrug of his crushing hands. His face was contorted in pain, his pallor even more pale than usual, and a small trickle of blood leaked from his firmly pressed together lips. Instinctively, her throat tightened and, if the sudden crimson tint of light cast of Takuma's face was a hint, her azure eyes had been flooded with the familiar red glow.

"Look...In...Mirror!" He wheezed, before collapsing into her lap.

* * *

Kaname ensured Rima that Takuma would be fine, after a few days of undisturbed rest. In a panic, Rima had called Ruka and told her Takuma was dead. Yes, perhaps not the wisest thing, but he looked it! All within ten minutes -something even Takuma the speed-demon hadn't managed in his death-mobile- Ruka, Kain, Aido and Kaname had appeared. All four had flocked to Takuma's side and were less than pleased at Rima's overreaction. Though, upon seeing her tear-stained and panic-stricken face, Ruka had immediately done the female thing and strode over to hug her.

Kain had carried Takuma to the car, and Kaname had given him a quick once over. Choosing to ignore the large hole in the wall and ruined car, though Aido hadn't looked pleased -_'What is it with men and expensive cars? Aido looked as though someone had killed his dog or something'-_, they all drove back to the Academy. Rima had absently noticed that 'Shiki' was no where to be seen. Once she was sure Takuma was going to be okay, Rima had retreated to her room and was currently in the shower. As she had been for the last three-quarters of an hour. Her skin just wouldn't stop _crawling_. She'd scrubbed and scrubbed at her skin, causing the skin to be raw and bleeding only to heal again moments later. An endless cycle it would seem.

She couldn't stop thinking, even though she _really _wanted to. However, she'd finally gotten something. Now the sheet of panic that had been suspended over her at the time had been lifted, she was registering Takuma's words. 'Not Shiki' and 'Look in mirror'. She was connecting it to her memories.

She herself had also thought many a time that Shiki was not acting like himself. Was it possible that he was, in fact, another person? ...No. Impossible. Completely impossible. Shiki was a vampire, hence he was unnaturally beautiful. A beauty like his could never be reproduced. So...If he wasn't Shiki...Then how could he look exactly like Shiki?

_'Okay...That train of thought is giving me quite the brainache... Now, what else did Takuma say?'_. Mirrors. He said to look in the mirror. _'Well! That helps! Which bloody mirror? Surely he knows there are numerous mirrors in this dorm...Okay. Think. He wouldn't have said it if it wasn't important... Before the dance I noticed Shiki was acting strangely around mirrors...'_

"...!" Her head snapped up from it's hanging position, realization washing over her. She turned the water off and bolted out of the shower. Towel drying quickly, she threw on a skirt and vest shirt that was strewn across Ruka's bed. Ruka didn't like it when anyone, even Rima, borrowed her clothes, but that was the least of her concerns at the moment.  
Throwing the door open, she sprinted down the hallway of the girls section, trying to ignore how loud her bare feet were against the hardwood floors. Her saturated blond hair, darkened because of the moisture, clung to her face, dripping onto her shoulders and making her shirt damp.

_'How could I have not realized? I'd thought it was odd but...Damn! I should have at least investigated it! There was clearly something __**he**_ _didn't want me to see, whoever __**he**_ _is. Let's hope __**Shiki**_ _isn't in his room. I need to check that mirror'._

* * *

Takuma groaned, his throat raw and head banging. Sensing he wasn't alone, he reluctantly crack an eye open and propped himself up on an elbow.

"You shouldn't be awake so soon." Kaname stated, tossing him a pack of blood-tablets. He looked perfectly at ease, reclining in the high-backed chair, staring at the half-asleep vampire.

"W-what happened?" Takuma croaked, his voice rough and uneven. The last thing he could remember... He'd gotten a call from Rima... Asking to be picked up...

"I'm impressed, Takuma. You managed to defy your Grandfather's...ability, and give Touya information. Rima's rather bright. It shouldn't take her long to figure it out now you've given her somewhere to start. She's going to the mirror as we speak." Kaname spoke softly, eyes shifting to gaze at the fire one of the maids must have lit. Takuma frowned, and opened his mouth to reply when Kaname cut him off.

"Rido isn't here. Or, should I say, _Senri_ isn't." He announced, a slight smirk pulling at his lips as he predicted what Takuma's objection was going to be. Hearing that, Takuma nodded, settling back against the pillows, a slight smile appearing on his face.

"Good... Let's hope she figures it all out then." He breathed.

"Go to sleep. You put alot of strain on your body by defying your Grandfather's orders. You need time to heal." Kaname said, though it sounded very much like an order. Takuma complied, sinking as low into his bed as possible, asleep as soon as his eyelids closed.


	9. Chapter 9

Rido smirked -Big surprise there- as he stalked down the path to the family manor. He _had _promised Misaki that he'd visit again. Apparently, Senri Shiki rarely made promises, but those he did make, he kept. Well, he had to keep up his facade, did he not?

Reaching the door, he swung it open, not bothering to knock. He sniffed the air.

"...Kaa-san?" Rido called out, knowing full well she was aware of the situation. She knew who it really was, mocking her. His ears pricked as he heard a sharp intake of breath from the gardens. She knew he was here then, and she was trying to hide. _'Such a disgraceful coward. She knew what would happen when she sent Senri to her Uncle, yet she still did just to avoid some sort of confrontation. Now she won't face the consequences of her actions? Despicable. Cowards like her give vampires a bad name. She makes me sick'_ He thought, smirk curving into a snarl as he strode through the large and intricately decorated rooms to the open back doors.

It was early evening now, the sun due to set soon, and not very bright. He would gain no harm nor lose any energy by going outside in the open now. Scanning the unkempt garden, it didn't take him long to spot the familiar head of messy russet locks. His mismatched eyes narrowed into a glare. He was beside her in an instant, hand burying in her hair and yanking her to her feet. Misaki cried out in pain, but she didn't resist and allowed herself to be pulled upright.

"...The years haven't served you well, Misaki." Rido stated, tugging her hair down to make her look at him. She was stubbornly refusing to meet his eyes, knowing what she'd see. The one thing she hadn't wanted, yet had done nothing to prevent. She just couldn't bear to see the eyes of the monster she'd grown to fear with every inch of her being staring out from the face of the son she loved. It was just too much.

"...You aren't going to greet me? And to think, I came all this way to see you. I knew you were alot of things, but I hadn't thought rude was one of them." He continued, assessing her.

She hadn't changed all that much since the last time he'd seen her. That had been about seventeen years ago, so of course not much had changed. She was a vampire, after all. No wrinkles, no blemishes. Her hair was long, dishevelled due to his rough handling, and in dire need of a brush. Apparently she just didn't care anymore. Strange; When she was younger, her appearance was so important to her. An up-and-coming actress, hired only because of her face and name, _had_ to take care of her appearance of course, but she was nothing if not prideful. Then at least. Now though... She had been reduced to a trembling waste of oxygen. It almost made him retch.

"R-Rido..." She greeted lamely, voice trembling just as much as she was. She'd always feared this moment. Misaki knew she'd brought it all on herself though. She'd been the one to pursue the elusive pureblood, intrigued by his cold demeanor and the power that seemed to emit from his very being. It was common knowledge that he was deeply infatuated with his sister, Juuri Kuran, but she had chosen the younger son of Kuran over him. Misaki herself couldn't see why. Of course, she respected Haruka. He was a pureblood after all. However, he was... He was so simple. All of his actions had an obvious reason. You could predict everything he was going to say, his reactions too. He was kind, to a fault. Not that it was a fault necessarily, there was nothing wrong with being kind, but Misaki just preferred it when someone was only kind to _her._It made her feel special. Haruka was kind to everyone, though he was authoritative when need be.

Rido, on the other hand, was cold, distant and generally unsocial. It had been said that the only person he'd ever shown any form of compassion towards was Juuri, and after her rejection, no one. He was uncaring of the events in their world, but made his opinion well-known. In the meetings she'd been forced to sit in on, he only spoke up on the matters involving humans. He hated them... No, it was more than hate. Hate wasn't a strong enough word. He _despised_ them. He _loathed_ them. He _abhorred_ them... None of them were strong enough words... There _wasn't_a strong enough word. In his opinion, he saw no reason for vampires to be hiding in the shadows and "letting the obviously lesser race rule"; Misaki shared this belief, though she was much less outspoken about it. It was taboo to discuss such things, and it was only lucky that Haruka and Juuri were against it otherwise a war between humans and vampires would most definitely have broken out. The hunters probably would have gotten involved, taking the humans side. Due to these reasons, Haruka and Juuri stifled Rido's beliefs to keep the peace they so desperately wanted.

It wasn't long before Misaki finally caught Rido's attention. It was a bold move, and could have completely ruined her reputation had the wrong people heard, but she did it nonetheless. She knew her Uncle agreed with Rido's ideas, and that the two met often. She told him exactly how she felt towards the humans, and asked to be able to sit in on their meetings.

The first time she went, she was surprised to see that quite a few people were there. Apparently, it wasn't just her Uncle who agreed with him. She'd sat quietly, not partaking in any conversation, watching Rido intensely. Much to her disappointment, he didn't give her a glance. Not. Once!

Misaki didn't give up though. She continued to attend the meetings, trying not to drift off to sleep at the monotonous conversations, hoping Rido would at least spare her a glance. Then, he did. Misaki didn't know what changed. She had no idea why he continued staring at her at the meetings from then on. Not in an admiring way, nor in the completely apathetic way he looked at everything else. He just looked upon her, mild interest in his enigmatic eyes... She liked it.

Not long after, he approached her, and suggested they take a walk. Alright, so he didn't exactly ask her out on a date as she'd hoped he would, but it was a start. They spoke about insignificant things; who was doing what, who had said what about who and so on. Misaki, always one to gossip, quite enjoyed it. However, she couldn't help noticing the almost bored look in his eyes. Not wanting to lost his newly found interest, she'd turned the conversation to him. That seemed to please him. Figures; He liked talking about himself. Well, he was a man. They all seemed like that. At least, the ones she'd met did. She didn't mind though. He was an interesting person, although... Juuri did seem to come up alot in any conversation he made.

After that, they met more often. Not in public though. It was becoming increasingly obvious that his Father was trying to make a deal with the Hiou's to wed Rido and Shizuka, and any outside fraternizing was most unwelcome. Misaki's Uncle was very pleased though, always asking how things were going with them and giving her advice on how best to pacify the Pureblood. All was going well.

A year after Rido began secretly courting Misaki, she came to him with the news that she was pregnant. Her eyes were red and puffy, clearly having cried on the way over. She was astonished when he'd told her that was perfect, and that he'd look after her. Although he said this... Although it was more than she'd expected... He... He didn't kiss her, didn't hug her... Hell, he didn't even smile! He just nodded, treating the news like some sort of business transaction. However, having expected him to be furious and demand she have an abortion, she was satisfied.

Not for long, though. He kept his promise. He made sure she was looked after. He moved her into a large, secluded manor house. She had her own servants that tended to her every whim. He visited. Not often though. Once a month, he'd come to the manor, late at night. He'd wake her up, spare her a few words, observe her growing bump, then leave just as quickly as he'd arrived. She always found herself feeling... Dejected... Alone...

In her final month, she overheard a conversation between Rido and her Uncle as he was leaving after his short visit. How she wished she'd have stayed in her room...

* * *

_"So, Rido-sama, your thoughts?" Kazuhito asked, raising from the bow he'd bent into when Rido had entered the room. Rido nodded, mismatched eyes indifferent, as he pulled on his coat._

_"The baby is developing well. If I should ever need to use that method, I shan't be disappointed." He replied monotonously. Kazuhito let out a hardly discernible sigh of relief._

_"I am glad to hear that. We are in luck that the baby is a boy. You needn't use another woman now."_

_"Yes. I _am _relieved about that. Woman are such a hassle."_

_"Hmm. You say that, yet aren't you engaged to marry Shizuka Hiou?"_

_"Unfortunately, that is true. She is also a hassle. However, she is mine." Misaki's eyes widened, registering his words. 'He...He's engaged? No...No, he can't be. We're having a baby... He can't be engaged to some other woman! ...Wait... Method? What on earth was he talking about?'_

_"She is yours? How possessive of you, Rido-sama. I suppose you've heard people talking about her fraternizing with a former human then." Kazuhito stated, apprehension forming behind his naturally narrowed eyes. Perhaps this wasn't a wise subject to be breaching with the temperamental pureblood. Of course, Kazuhito knew that Rido wanted no one but his sister. However, the animosity between the Kurans and Hious was becoming too much, and something had to be done. Therefore, as Haruka was already married, it was Rido's job to join the families and restore some form of peace, even if it was false. Therefore, he viewed her as his. Even if he didn't like her, she was his. No one touched what was his._

_Rido leveled Kazuhito a look, instantly making him regret his words. The corner of Rido's mouth quirked, his lips pulling into small smirk._

_"I _have _heard those rumors, as a matter of fact. I can assure you, Kazuhito-san, they are not true. Shizuka wouldn't be so foolish as to do such a thing, I'm sure." He replied. He opened his mouth, as if to say more, then stopped, smirk slipping from his face. Kazuhito frowned._

_"Is something the matter, Rido-sama?" He asked. Rido was silent for a while longer, before sighing._

_"Eavesdroppers seldom hear anything good, Misaki." He turned to the archway that Misaki had been hiding behind, face stoic apart from his eyes, which showed indisputable anger. Misaki, knowing it was futile to pretend she hadn't hear anything, stepped out from behind the archway and into the room. Rido's eyes narrowed into a glare, making her want to flee the room. Kazuhito also had a look of displeasure on his face, though it was no where near as intimidating as the purebloods._

_"...You're engaged." She murmured, dropping her head so she wouldn't have to meet his eyes. She'd always liked his eyes the most..._

_"Yes." He responded shamelessly. His voice... It was so emotionless! He didn't even sound apologetic! She snapped her head up at this, eyes blazing._

_"And when were you planning on telling me this?" Misaki screeched, fists clenched. Even in sight of her anger, Rido remained unfazed._

_"I wasn't."_

_"... B-but... I'm having your baby!" Tears were flowing down her cheeks by now, her voice cracking. Yet, Rido still didn't show... Anything. No concern, no remorse... Nothing..._

_"I'm aware."_

_"Why? Why are you doing this? ...Is ...Is that why you sent me to live out here? ...So I wouldn't know about your engagement to Shi...Hiou-sama?" Misaki quickly corrected herself, remembering that even if she found herself hating the woman, Shizuka Hiou was still her pureblood master and therefore demanded her respect._

_"Any uneccassary stress wouldn't serve the child well." Rido folded his arms across his chest, emotionless eyes dropping to Misaki's heavily swollen stomach. Her hand instinctively moved to rest there, as though protecting the unborn baby._

_"...All of this was to have a baby, wasn't it?," The sudden realisation made her want to be sick, "...Why? Why do you want a baby? ...You don't strike me as the maternal type."_

_Her words finally brought a reaction from the man. His lips once again morphed into an infuriating smirk, his eyes sparkling with mirth. Misaki had never seen Rido like this before. Usually... Usually he was so stoic and uncaring, never letting any emotion at all appear on his face._

_"Oh, I have my reasons... Hmm...," He stepped towards her and Misaki immediately took one back in turn, "The boy, my boy, will be a very useful pawn when he is older. If all goes well, I shall not need him. However, it is always wise to have a back-up plan."_

_"P-plan? What plan?" Misaki managed to swallow her sobs, not wanting to appear weak. Even after everything that had happened, she was still clinging to what remained of her pride. She had loved this man! Yet, she was just a means to an end..._

_"I suppose there's no harm in telling her, Rido-sama. It's not as though she'll go against you." Kazuhito intoned, relief apparent that he wasn't going to be blamed for Misaki overhearing. He was supposed to have been listening out for any servants after all. Rido stared at her, somehow managing to frown yet keep the smirk in place._

_"Hmm... I suppose you're right, Kazuhito-san. Alright, Misaki. Listen well. I won't be repeating myself; I, Rido Kuran, am the true head of the Kuran family, do you not agree? It is my birth right. I was born first. I was born before Haruka, was I not? Therefore, is it not wrong that he has gained all the rights of the first born? ...Haruka and Juuri... They have bore children. Two. The first one, Kaname, I have already taken care of. He is dead, and I have restored the first Kuran in his body... He shan't be able to fight against me now. I am his master... The second child, however, I have been unable to reach. The four of them went into hiding not long after Juuri became pregnant with the second child, to keep it safe. Fortunately, I have managed to uncover their whereabouts... I am planning to attack them. I shall kill Haruka, for stealing what is mine! ...Then, I shall take that child. I will have it's blood... I shall become stronger than any before me..." It seemed that, by the end of his speech, he was talking more to himself than to anyone else. Misaki was, naturally, horrified. Rido was planning to... To kill his brother? Then to kill his newborn baby? How... How barbaric! Swallowing down her rising panic, she responded._

_"I still don't understand what that has to do with _my_baby." She put the emphasis on 'her', rather than saying theirs. Now... Now, knowing what he was planning to do, she couldn't bear to think that her baby was also his. No... Not anymore. Not now. Rido gave a long suffering sigh, giving Misaki a disdainful look._

_"I was getting to that, impatient wench. Now, I am not a fool. I know how powerful Haruka is. Fighting with him will no doubt weaken me greatly. Furthermore, he has many loyal followers. When word spreads that I am attacking, they will no doubt flock to his aid. There is a great chance that I shall not survive the battle. I have planned for this. That child you bear, my son, shall be my vessel should I need one. You know how it is for us Purebloods. We are not bound to the one body." He let out a derisive laugh at the look of horror that had formed on Misaki's face. 'No... No, he can't... He can't use my little boy like that...'_

* * *

Another forceful tug of hair brought Misaki back to the present, to the undeniable truth before her. Of course Rido could use Shiki. He could use him however he liked, because he was Misaki's weakness. Were Rido was concerned, Misaki was powerless. She hated that. She could even protect her own son... She loved Shiki, she really did! Even when she knew he only existed because Rido needed a back-up plan, she couldn't help loving him. So, why? Why couldn't she protect him when it truly mattered? Why couldn't she have just not given him that letter? Why did she have to send him to her Uncle, when she knew exactly what was going to happen?

"P-please... Please, stop it... L-leave Senri alone!" Sobs racked her small frame, making it almost impossible to push the words from her lips. Rido couldn't even muster a smirk, so disgusted by the sight before him. How dare she. How dare she plead with him like this. He'd been appalled at how simply his son had arrived at Kazuhito's mansion, apparently unaware of what awaited him. Clearly Misaki had not attempted to stop him going. At. All. He'd expected some sort of uproar from her, the way she had looked when he'd told her what he intended for their child. Her words echoed in his mind; _"...No! I won't let you! I'll protect this child with my life!"._Lies. All lies. She hadn't even tried. It was despicable. Empty words. Although unknown to many, if there was one thing Rido Kuran hated, it was cowards. Well, he couldn't allow his precious son to be exposed to such a measly waste of space now, could he? ...Of course not. Anyway, this had been on Rido's to-do-list for a long time now. Misaki had become quite the hindrance, getting in his way at every opportunity. Furthermore, in the world he was planning, in which he would rule of course, he didn't want such vermin.

Crouching down so his lips met her ear, he whispered something, before his hands went to her throat. Misaki couldn't even sob as her air was cut off, couldn't scream as his hand plunged into her chest and tore her heart from her ribcage. As her life left her, she played over his muttered words.

_"Don't worry about where you're going, little coward. It shan't be long before Senri joins you. You shan't be alone."_


	10. Chapter 10

_'Please don't let him be in here...'_

Rima stood outside Shiki's dorm room, hand resting on the cold metal of the door handle, unmoving. Although she was fairly sure Shiki wasn't even at the Academy at the moment, she couldn't bring herself to go in. _'What... What am I really expecting to find here? I mean... Sure, it's like Shiki isn't himself, but is that really possible? And if it is, what proof will I find in here?'_

On the other hand, she really didn't believe that train of thought at all. Takuma told her to look in the mirror, though he hadn't exactly specified which one, and he'd looked like it was killing him to do so. Rima had no doubt that, in the state he was in, he wouldn't have told her something unimportant. She trusted Takuma irrefutably. So, that thought in mind, Rima took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

* * *

_That bastard was right... He... He was losing it... He could feel it... Although it was always cold here, the chill was becoming apart of him. It was as though his blood had frozen in his veins, his joints becoming frigid and stiff. Every labored beat his heart took was agony, such an extreme pain that he wanted to cry out. Not that he could, of course. His throat had long since stopped working, no decipherable sound escaping. Well, not that he could hear anyway, though he probably wasn't the best judge._

_The physical pain wasn't what bothered him most though. Another thing the bastard had predicted was right... His sanity... It was... Fading._

* * *

_'...Nothings changed since I was last in here...'_

Her eyes scanned the pig sty of a room, taking in everything; The discarded clothing, books, school equipment, towels. Nothing unusual in a teenage boys dorm room, really. _'...It's the mirror I'm here to see though'_. She turned her head to see the mirror on the wall, still covered by that black cloth. Treading carefully, trying not to fall over, she made her way to the other side of the room, closing the door behind her.

Shiki wasn't here, as she'd predicted, but she still had that disturbing feeling of being watched. It gave her chills, goose bumps rising on her bare arms. Though, that might have been due to her still damp skin. Droplets of water ran down her face from her wet hair, mingling with the sweat that had appeared. It was... It was strangely humid in the room. Although the rest of the Moon Dorm was always kept at 18 °C, it had to be in the high fourties in here at the least. How strange. It wasn't like vampires disliked the cold. They didn't really care. They could never be _too_cold. They were cold-blooded anyway. So, why was the room so damn hot?

_'...I'm not here to inspect the bloody thermostat! Damn it. Concentrate, Rima! Shiki could be back any minute!'_. She'd reached the mirror, and her hand hovered in the air beside it.

* * *

_'Am I really going to die?' He couldn't help thinking. His thoughts were rather cliche. Wondering why him. Listing off all the things he'd never had a chance to, and never would, do. 'It... It's not fair... Why do I have to be his son? Why am I the one he's using? ...Why do I have to die? ...It's not fair...'_

* * *

"Kaname-sama." Seiren bowed, appearing by his side soundlessly. Kaname had long since stopped being startled by her ghost like self.

He tore his eyes from the fire, where they had been glued since Takuma had fallen asleep, to look at her. As usual, there was no trace of emotion on her flawless face. No minimal sign of what she was about to tell him. He hated that.

"Have you found him?" Kaname asked, tone clipped. He'd been less than pleased to not be able to trace 'Shiki'. He'd immeadiatly checked in with his Yuuki but she was the same as usual, much to his relief. Clearly Shiki wasn't setting that particular plan into motion just yet. Although he knew that, Kaname still found himself unnerved not knowing where Shiki was. So, he sent Seiren to find him. She'd been gone far too long for his liking.

"Yes. The news is not good, Kaname-sama." Seiren responded in her trademark monotone. _'...Not good? ...But he didn't do anything to Yuuki... That's all that matters'_ Kaname thought, quirking an eyebrow to the lilac-haired vampiress in an indication to go on. Seiren nodded.

"I followed his scent to the Shiki Manor. By the time I found the trail, it was already fading. I can't know for definite how old it was but it was probably somewhere around mid afternoon. Possibly around the same time you were called out by Touya-san. However, by the time I arrived at the Manor, Rido-sama was gone. I attempted to follow the second trail leading away from the Manor but I couldn't. The smell of blood was too stron-"

"Blood?" Kaname cut off, frowning. Seiren nodded again.

"Yes. I'm afraid Shiki Misaki-san has been murdered."

Silence followed her statement, only punctuated by the sound of Takuma's steady breaths. Seiren waited patiently as Kaname processed the information. It didn't take long.

"...It has begun, then."

* * *

_'Well, it's a pretty pointless mirror, I'll give it that'_ Rima concluded, staring into the black depths inside the golden frame. After what had probably been ten minutes of standing there, hand hovering in the air, Rima had finally worked up the nerve and pulled the sheet from the mirror. Hell, she had to admit she was disappointed. Nothing. Not even a reflection. What the hell kind of mirror was this anyway? It was more like a window than a mirror. The frame was pretty much normal; standard gold moldings of intricate design. Inside was just black. Just plain black. Thinking back, Rima remembered the last time she'd been in here and looked in the mirror. Had it been the same then as well?

"...Well, this is rather anticlimactic." She sighed. _'...Last time... That's right... I thought I heard my name... Oh! And then something moved!'._

* * *

_Shiki almost whimpered when light spilled into his dark prison. 'Not him... Not now...'. The last thing he wanted was for his Father to see him so vulnerable. Would he really come to watch him die? He'd never thought someone could be as cruel as Rido Kuran. How wrong he was._

_The light was so overbearingly bright; he could almost feel his flesh burning from the contact of the rays. Pain, although already horridly familiar, was becoming too much. So, with the absoultely last burst of energy in his body, Shiki dragged himself from the position he'd been in for days into a less bright area of space._

* * *

Rima blinked. Twice. Then thrice. _'...Okay... Either I'm going mad, which is a possibility I suppose, or something moved in there. Again... Is this something to do with what Takuma wanted me to see?'._She frowned deeply, leaning closer to inspect. A little bit too close.

"Ow!" Rima squeaked as her nose crashed against the glasswork, a hand shooting up to cover it. Her eyes watered automatically, momentarally blurring her vision. _'Bugger. I couldn't even tell that there was any glass there. It looks as though there's just a frame over a whole in the wall or something. Apparently not. Unless...'_

"...!" Rima grinned at the sudden epiphany. _'There's something going on with this mirror. Something's behind the glass I think. Something Shiki doesn't want me to see. That's the only explanation! Last time I was in here and I saw something move, Shiki got all pissed! Ha! Figured it out!'_

Grin widening further, Rima grabbed the mirror from the wall and tossed it onto the bed. The grin slipped from her face instantly.

Wall. Plain, cream coloured wall.

"...Crap!" She exclaimed, hands raising to feel the wall. To ensure it was as solid as it looked; it was.

* * *

_Shiki cried out, apparently still able to do so, as he collided with one of the walls. 'Wha... What the hell?'. He opened his eyes to glance through the light. He hadn't looked before, not wanting to see his face staring at him with those foreign eyes. Now he did so, and his face crumpled at the sight before him. 'No... Why is she here?'_

_He couldn't be completely exasperrated at the sight before him; magnificent as always, was she. Platinum hair, taking on an almost golden look with the moisture, clung to her face and shoulders, wisps twisting into curls. 'It always irritated her that her hair curls when it gets wet'. She was still as small as ever, looking just as fragile as he knew she was. Her porcelain face was a mask of frustration, azure eyes burning. She was pounding on the wall, lips pressed tightly together. 'What... What is she doing?'_

* * *

"Goddamit!" Rima shouted, pounding her fists into the wall, hardly noticing the feel of the plaster crushing into dust. Her only idea led to nothing. What was it Takuma wanted her to see? Why couldn't she figure it out? Tears of frustration glazed her eyes and she blinked furiously to fight them back. _'I'm not crying again. I've got to figure this out. I've just _got _to... Okay, lets go over what I know; It has something to do with mirrors. Specifically, this mirror', _Rima dropped onto the bed, picking up the mirror she'd tosses there, _'Something is in the mirror? ...I don't know that for sure, but it's a possibility. Takuma told me to look in the mirror... Alright. Lets give this mirror another look'._

Sighing, Rima swiped her eyes to free them of any lingering tears and looked into the mirror again, trying to see anything besides black.

* * *

_'...Where's Rido? ...Why is she in the room? ...She's looking in the mirror... If she sees me... Then she'll know to stay away from Rido! She's know it's not really me!'_

_That in mind, Shiki racked his brain. He could hardly move. He wasn't sure he could speak. So, how could he make himself known? 'I'll just have to try. Okay; here goes nothing'._

_Taking the biggest gulp of air he could manage, Shiki cried, "__**Rima!"**_

* * *

Rima squeaked, jumping to her feet and glancing around her wildly. She could have _sworn _she'd heard someone shout her name! Actually... She could have sworn she'd heard _Shiki_ shout her name. Her heart felt as though it was trying to break through her ribcage. She was positive the entire Moon Dorm could hear it. Was he here? Did he know she was in his room? ...Well, after what had gone on between the two, perhaps she could just brush that off. She shuddered, and it had nothing to do with the fluxuating heat in the room. _'Okay. Do __**not**_ _think about __**that**_ _or you may throw up...'._

* * *

"Shiki-sama. Welcome home." The maid greeted brightly, opening the door of the Moon Dorm for the _young_ vampire. Said vampire grinned wolfishly, causing the maid the shiver and hurriedly scarper. How polite. His ears pricked at the sound of footsteps meandering down the stairs.

"Oi, Shiki. Where've you be..." Aido trailed off, sniffing at the air, usually ocean blue eyes taking on a crimson tint.

"...You... You reek of blood. It's not yours either. What've you done, Shiki?" Aido accused, taking a step towards Shiki, tensing. _'Fuck. I didn't have a chance to shower what with my ridiculous nephew's lackey trailing me... Hmm... Would the Aido boy fight me, perhaps? If he thought I was jeapordizing his precious Kaname's dream of co-existion? I haven't yet killed anything that fought back'._

A smirk.

"Nothing at all." Shiki replied, sounding as innocent as an angel before sauntering towards the stairs. However, he paused beside the blonds side for a fracture of a second, letting the facade slip to test the boy.

Aido felt his eyes widen as Shiki ascended the stairs to the rooms. _'...Wha...What was that? That... That bloodthirsty aura! I... I'm shaking! ...And...Were Shiki's eyes always that colour?'_

* * *

_'...She heard me, but it's not enough... She's gonna have to see me...'_

_He wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this up, how long he could stay conscious, but he had to try. He was closer to the glass than he had been before since he'd been tossed towards it when Rima had thrown the mirror on the bed. He just happened to be in a shadowed corner. If he could just move forward into the light..._

_Mustering all the strength that he had left in his body, which wasn't much, he moved his arms forward, digging his now talon-like nails into the floor. A groan escaped his dry and cracked lips as he drug his suddenly unbearably heavy body forward. His teeth gritted, jaw clenching. Razor sharp fangs cut into the tender flesh of his gums as, with one last burst of energy, Shiki threw himself into the light._

From her peripheal vision, Rima saw movement in the mirror once again. Tearing her eyes from the door, she glimpsed into the mirror for a second then looked back at the door. It took a few seconds for it to hit.

"Eh?"

_'...Okay. It's official. I have gone completely and utterly mad'._

She had to have gone mad, because she could _not_ be seeing a gasping, emaciated and bloodied Senri Shiki lying inside the mirror held in her hands.


	11. Chapter 11

Heels clacking loudly against the hardwood floors, too long travelling coat whipping around his ankles, Rido strode down the corridor towards his room at a leisurely pace.

The games were coming to an end now. It was almost time. The girl, Yuuki, was cracking. Kaname wouldn't allow her to suffer. He would release her true side soon enough. Then the _new_ game would begin. The one he'd been anticipating for fifteen years. Fifteen _long_ _**agonizing**_ years!

Rido's lips curled into a snarl at the mere thought.

Where did they get the right? How dare they leave him to depend on such degrading means. To have to use a borrowed body. To demean his pureblood self by possessing someone of a lower status, related by blood or not.

Well, there was no point angering himself over it now, he decided. They would get their comeuppance soon enough. Once he was back in his normal state, able to create and manipulate all of the subservient beings, they'd regret what they'd done, or allowed to happen.

The snarl dropped, mind racing with appropriate methods of torture.

* * *

Kaname's head snapped up just as Seiren reappeared inside the room.

"He..."

"Rido-sama has returned," Seiren confirmed, voice as smooth and emotionless as ever. Her eyes, however, betrayed a sliver of fear she just couldn't quite keep at bay.

Kaname was out of the chair and perched on the window ledge, opening the window, in the blink of an eye. Just before he leapt into the air he turned to face Seiren once more.

"Keep alert. If you smell anyone's blood, make sure to check it out. Look after Takuma until he wakes," was his parting statement.

* * *

It had been several minutes and Rima had yet to move, statue-still beside the bed, feet planted to the floor. Her eyes were glued to the 'mirror', unblinking and showing nothing but shock. Her mind raced, trying to process what she was seeing. At least, what she _thought_ she was seeing.

The Shiki inside the mirror was almost completely still, bar the shuddering breaths he gasped in every so often. Not as often as they should have been, Rima noted with something akin to concern.

She forced her eyes to close, which was surprisingly harder than she'd anticipated it would be. Rima pulled a ragged breath through clenched teeth. All at once, everything hit her.

_'Shiki... inside the mirror. Or... Someone or something that _looks _like Shiki. The Shiki _here _didn't want me to see this mirror... Obviously because of this... which is rather suspicious. The Shiki here isn't like my Shiki. He's been so different since... he came back from his Mother's. Misaki knows what's happened, though she wouldn't tell me anything... But that's not the matter at hand! Either I'm suddenly clinically insane or Shiki is inside this mirror and there's some freaky doppelganger running rampant!'_

Shaking her head frantically to rid herself of the thoughts, Rima tentatively reached out a hand to grip the side of the frame, propping on the edge of the bed. Cerulean bored into the depths of the glass, confusion etched into every inch of her face.

_'This just can't be real... Okay, so it would make some kind of sense if this was really Shiki. It would explain why 'Shiki' has been acting so abnormal. So... unlike himself but... It just isn't plausible! Someone can't be trapped _inside _a mirror! It's pure madness to even begin considering it!'_

Despite her thoughts, Rima's hand ghosted over the cool glass, her lips murmuring his name.

"Shiki..."

* * *

Kaname sniffed the air, sifting through the hundreds of different scents, unique to each student in the Academy, searching for hers. He found her quickly, having had so much practice sniffing her out. He set off without another moments hesitation, a foreign excitement filling him. _'I'm getting __**my**_ _Yuuki back'._

* * *

Rido froze in his tracks, a frown rising to the false face he wore. A growl reverberated in his chest. _'Someone is in my room'._ His feet began moving once again, twice as fast. He discarded of the travelling coat to save any embarressment should be stumble (Not that a Pureblood ever stumbled of course). His lip curled back once again, eyes flooding crimson. _'Not now. I'm so close. So. Damn. Close!'_

Rido turned the corner and paused in his movements once again, listening. His eyes took in the closed door of what had become his room. The only movement he could hear was a soft breathing. From his experience, which was vast, he concluded that it belonged to a woman. Men, with their broader shoulders and wider chests, had heavier and sometimes louder breathes. Whoever was trespassing inside his room was purposefully trying to breathe quietly.

_'Someone who doesn't want to be heard'._

Rido pressed his lips together tightly, breathe held, and stalked towards the bedroom door soundlessly.

Gripping the cool metal of the door handle, he sniffed the air softly.

_'Ah. I should have known.'_

Rido turned the handle and stepped into the room.

* * *

Rima froze.

"Did you come for a reprise of last night, Rima-chi?"

His tone was mocking but held a smoldering quality, as though anger was bubbling just below the surface. She decided she most definitely didn't want to be around when it overflowed. She was still holding the mirror, gripping it so tight that her knuckles had turned white. She could feel 'Shiki's' eyes on her, waiting for her to meet them.

That was the last thing she wanted to do.

Instead, she kept her eyes trained on the mirror, watching the Shiki inside the mirror draw shuddering breath after shuddering breath. He seemed to be unconscious but still alive. His skin was almost transparent. Rima could see thin veins threading beneath his skin, could almost see the blood pounding through them. Dark black circles framed his closed eyes, painfully obvious against the paleness of his skin. He looked near emaciated, starved of both normal food and blood. His hands were a bloody mess, the nails half torn out. His face was contorted in pain.

Rima was beginning to wonder if it would be easier to just look at the Shiki standing before her rather than the mess inside the mirror.

"...Don't ignore me, girl," he snarled. A blistering heat smacked against her, making her drop the mirror. The anger had been unleashed then.

Before she could stop herself, Rima had looked up and met his eyes.

There was no mistaking it.

Whoever this man was, he wasn't Shiki. Shiki would never have looked at her like that. Such anger, such disdain, such... power. It was that raw power that scared her most. Shiki was strong, Rima knew that, but he was never _this _strong! It was as though there was too much power to be held in Shiki's body. A power that had never been there before. A power that shouldn't be there.

It was terrifying.

She had to get away.

Panic bloomed in her chest, growing, rising, threatening to choke her completely.

_'I... I have to get away!'_

No sooner had Rima thought that had Shiki crossed the room and grabbed her by the throat. He lifted her to her feet as though she weighed nothing. She could feel her pulse beating overtime. He lifted her up more, just enough so her feet were hovering over the floor.

If he chose to do so, he could snap her neck. He wouldn't even break a sweat.

_'W-would he? Would Shiki really do that? ...No. But this isn't Shiki, is it?'_

She was sure of that now.

The panic grew.

Rima's hands flew up to grip his arm, trying to loosen his hold, to allow herself some air. Her legs kicked uselessly, hoping to land a blow on his legs, just to throw him off. Just a little. A moment was all she needed. Just to get away. Away from this stranger.  
"You're just like _her_. Useless, in the way. I should dispose of you as I have her," Shiki snarled, hand tightening around her throat even more. His anger flowed through the air, smashing against her in blistering waves. Air was getting harder to draw. She wasn't sure if it was his hand stopping her from being able to breathe or if his power was too overwhelming.

He lowered his head closer to hers, speaking into her ear, breath so acidic she was sure she was going to be burnt.

"I can taste your fear, so strong. Your pulse is beating against my hand. Weak, like a butterflies wings. Just one squeeze and your life is over, Rima. Just. One. Squeeze."

* * *

His fangs sunk into her flesh, so delicate, so sweet. She began to struggle against his hold as she realized what was happening, but to no avail. Against his strength, it was useless. For now anyway. Maybe she would be stronger than him when she returned to herself.

He hoped so.

Her blood flowed thick and fast over his lips. He covered the wound as best as he could, not eager to waste any of her blood. He focused, bringing distant memories to the forefront of his mind.

_Juuri cradling the crying bundle, with Haruka beaming over her shoulder..._

_Innocent burgundy eyes peering at him with the untamed curiosity only a child could possess..._

_Juuri looking upon her with regret as she once again asked why she couldn't go outside..._

_Haruka teaching her to read what became her favourite book of fairy tales..._

_Her running to hug her 'brother' as he returned from a visit at Takuma's..._

_Her confusion as Haruka comforted a panicking Juuri..._

_Her upset when Haruka hugged her, saying goodbye, with such a tone of finaIity..._

_Her tearful eyes as she smelt Haruka's blood..._

_Her screaming protests as Juuri erased them from her memory..._

Kaname pulled back, swiping his mouth clean with the back of his hand, holding Yuuki closer to his chest. He lifted his wrist to his lips, biting deep, filling his mouth with his own blood. Pulling back yet again, trying to resist the rising temptation to swallow the blood, he lifted Yuuki's chin and descended upon her lips.

Just a few more seconds...

And she would be his Yuuki once again.

* * *

His grip tightened and her air was cut off completely. Vampires could heal from many things but a snapped neck wasn't one of them. Her eyes met his, hoping to see some form of uncertainty, but there was only emptiness in those sapphire and crimson depths.

_'Oh god... I'm going to die!'_

Black dots danced before her eyes, obscuring her vision. It was like she was underwater. Everything was blurred, out of proportion.

Everything was becoming cold too.

An icy chill filled the air, dulling the edge from Shiki's furious heat.

_'Is this what death feels like? Is it really so cold?'_

* * *

The scent of blood hit him. Hard.

"Yuuki..."

Zero spun on his heel and ran, hand already gripping the bloody rose. Snow was falling fast, covering the ground like a blanket. He pushed through the balcony doors without pause, not caring when he heard a smash of glass as the door hit the wall. The shards fell soundlessly into the snow.

He slipped and stumbled but didn't hesitate. Couldn't hesitate. Was he already too late?

_'No. I can't be. I swore! To her, and myself!'_

His words came back to him and he almost retched at the thought that he was already too late.

_**"But you thought it would be okay to become a vampire, right? ...I will never let you turn into something like that..."**_

* * *

The floor was just as cold as the air, like it was frozen.

..._'Hold on...'_

The floor _was_ frozen.

"Touyah!" a familiar voice called out, his footsteps pounding against the floor Shiki had dropped her to. Her throat was burning, each breath she desperately drew agonizingly painful. Tear sprung to her eyes against her will as her tentatively touched the bruised flesh of her throat.

_'That guy was really going to kill me...'_

Touyah Rima had never been so glad to see Hanabusa Aido in her long life.

"What the hell was going on?" Aido snapped as he crouched by her side, hand hovering in the air as though going to touch her shoulder but not sure if he should. His blue eyes were glaring at Shiki, who was snarling from the other side of the room, gripping a bleeding shoulder, attempting to pull out a large icicle.

_'I owe Hanabusa Aido my life. What the hell has become of me?'_

Rima pulled herself up into a sitting position, still drawing shakey little breathes. Aido looked between her and Shiki, frowning.

"I want to know what's going on. Right _now," _he demanded. Rima attempted to speak, though not really sure of what to say seeing as she had about as much knowledge on the subject as he did, but stopped with a wince. Shiki had done a great job on her windpipe. Rima decided to give speaking a miss for a while.  
"...I know what I just walked in on wasn't some domestic. Shiki, what's going on?"

Well, Aido wasn't called a genius for nothing, was he?

Shiki snarled again, a sound so animalistic that Rima felt herself shudder. He was getting angry again. She could feel it, brewing in the air. Could almost see it, like heatwaves. Apparently Aido could feel it too as a flicker of uncertainty passed over his face. The shard of ice lodged in Shiki's shoulder melted, saturating his shirt. His hand flexed in a familiar preparatory tick.

_'Oh crap'_

"Move!" Rima shouted, her voice weak and coarse, pulling a confused Aido away.

At the same moment, Shiki had rose his hand to his mouth, a finger to a fang, and lashed a whip of blood in their direction.

A resounding crack echoed out as the blood whip created a crater in the hardwood floor. Splinters flew up in every direction, all varying in size but sharp all the same. Aido acted fast, creating a wall of ice infront of them. The makeshift stakes impaled the ice, but the wall held strong.

The two stared wide-eyed at what could have very well been their demise.

Another thing a vampire can't heal from. A stake through the heart or brain.

"Bloody hell...," Aido breathed, voice shakey.

Rima shared the sentiment.

* * *

Rido stared at the ice barricade separating him from the two pests, seething. He'd been right about the Aido boy. He was strong. If he did fight him, Rido may actually be entertained for a while. Right now, however, he was not.

Rido had said he'd kill the Rima girl.

He intended to do so. He was a man of his word after all. If he said he'd kill someone, he simply had to do so.

And right now, Hanabusa Aido was interfering.

How Rido hated those who interfered.

It looked like he'd have to dispose of the boy as well. What a busy evening he was having.

* * *

"Touyah, care to explain what the _fuck_ is going on?" Aido whispered, eyes not straying from Shiki, who was watching them emotionlessly. His face was emotionless but Rima wasn't fooled. Even from behind the wall of ice separating them, she could feel the heat of Shiki's anger.

Rima's eyes flickered to Aido's, then back to Shiki.

"I would if I knew," she rasped.

A sizzling sound met their ears and both looked around, trying to find the source.  
"Ah crap," Aido muttered.

The corner of their frozen shield was beginning to melt, useless to do anything else against Shiki's smoldering power. Rima and Aido shared a look.

"I say we get the hell outta here," Aido suggested, nodding towards the ajar door behind them.  
"I second that," Rima responded.

The wall fell, becoming nothing but a useless pool of water around them.

And the two blondes ran.


	12. Chapter 12

Faster, faster, _faster_.

She widened her strides, heightened her speed, drew air into her lungs in a quick succession of gasps. Beside her, Aido did the same. Their sprinting footfalls echoed around the hall, deafeningly loud to her. A distance behind, a third set of footsteps followed, slowly and calmly. Not hurrying at all, confident that he would catch them no matter how much they ran.

Aido grabbed Rima's wrist as they reached a fork in the hall and skidded around the right-hand corner, clenching his teeth. He wasn't one for running if he could help it. He never had a need for it. He usually just froze anything that may chase. Somehow, he doubted that would work on the person sauntering behind them. He wasn't too keen on trying his usual method out, either.

The cogs were whirling overtime in Aido's mind, finally putting his acclaimed genius to good use.

There were several things Hanabusa Aido was sure of:

Firstly, that person who had very nearly killed him and Rima moments ago was not who he appeared to be. He doubted very much that Senri Shiki would hurt Rima, or Aido for that matter. He wouldn't want to expend the effort.

Secondly, that _was_ Shiki's body, if not his will. Aido always accustomed himself to the scent of those he would be spending time or living quarters with. If asked, he could pinpoint any member of the Moon Dorms in a millisecond. The scent was unmistakable. However, there was an undercurrent of... something else. Something not Shiki. Sort of like the smell of seasoned food. You smell the scent of the food but if you tried, you could probably differentiate the seasoning too.

Thirdly, Shiki's body was in danger. The power Aido had been subjected to back in Shiki's room was remarkably strong. It was far too much power for Shiki's body. If this carried on, Shiki's body would be destroyed.

Finally, if they didn't get away, they were most certainly dead.

۞

Seiren frowned. To any onlooker, they probably wouldn't think she was frowning. Maybe deep in thought but not frowning. However, Takuma Ichijo was not just any onlooker.

"Seiren? Is something the matter?" he asked, pushing himself up from the bed on his elbows, the sheets falling to pool around his waist. It had been a minute, maybe two, since he'd been roughly shook awake from his unconscious stupor by Seiren, who had yet to tell him the reason for the abrupt awakening. His eyelids were heavy, begging to be allowed to close once again. His body cried out in pain, aching all over. His head was the worse. If he weren't a vampire, he would have been worried it was going to implode... As a matter of fact, he was contemplating the possibility.

Seiren's moonstone eyes were shadowed, staring out through the open window. A strong gale-force wing blew outside, whipping the curtain strong enough that Takuma thought it was going to be torn from the railing. Goosebumps rippled over his bare arms.

"...Seiren?" he ventured again, a frown of his own forming. He was aware the girl was quiet but she wasn't even acknowledging that he'd spoken like she usually did. No meeting of the eyes, no inclination of the head, however slight.

He was beginning to be bothered.

"Seiren. Tell me what's wrong." Reaching a hand out, he gently touched her arm. She jolted as though electrocuted, head snapping round, eyes fractionally wider than before.

"Sorry... Didn't mean to startle you." Takuma brought his hand back, watching her intently.

Slowly, she composed herself, the usual emotionless mask slipping back into place. Within an instant, Seiren was as stoic as ever.

"My apologies. I... was miles away."

She probably meant that literally, he knew. He glanced out the window, looking as far as his vampiric eyes would allow him. Past the surrounding forest, through the small village below the school, across fields of grass and wheat.

His own eyes widened.

"There are so many of them... Too many for it to be a coincidence. They were assembled for a purpose," Seiren's quiet voice brought him back from the clearing he'd seen, a feeling of dread settling in his stomach.

"That many Level-E's... Kaname-sama wouldn't create them. I'm sure Shirabuki-sama wouldn't either. So who wou..."

Takuma scolded himself mentally for his stupidity. He was surely becoming slow. It was obvious.

"I already know about Rido-sama, Ichijo-san. You needn't sensor yourself for my sake," Seiren stated, fingers entwining in her lap. Takuma's frown deepened.  
"Kaname-sama told you, I assume."

She nodded.

"...No. It's still not possible. Rido is a Pureblood, yes, and perfectly capable of creating that many Level-E's, certainly. But he's in Shiki's body, and Shiki doesn't possess the power to change humans to vampires. There's no way Rido could create new vampires whilst using Shiki's body."

He sounded so sure of himself. Seiren almost didn't want to burst his bubble.

Almost.

"Rido-sama is a Pureblood. His power is in his Soul, not his body, though it is at it's best when he is in his own body. Rido-sama could, if he desired, change human to vampire, even in Shiki-san's body. Rido-sama has been absent from the Academy grounds several times over the past while. He was most probably assembling these men and women," Seiren informed, gouging his reaction.

Takuma's mouth hung agape.

"If you knew he could change people even in Shiki's body, why weren't you keeping tabs on him?"

She didn't seem bothered by his outburst, maybe even expecting it.

"My order was 'observe but do not interfere', from Kaname-sama himself. Though I apologise if my following my orders is distasteful to you, Ichijo-san."

Okay, so maybe she was slightly vexed by his accusatory tone. Takuma sighed, finally letting the frown drop, and sagged back onto the pillows.

"Why did you wake me, Seiren?" His voice sounded as exhausted as he looked.

"I was ordered to stay by your side but the Level-E's approach the school. I feel it is my duty to prevent them from reaching here," she stated.

"Don't worry. I won't tell Kaname you left," Takuma assured, once again glancing through the window to the nearing danger. They were marginally closer than they had been the last time he'd looked.

"That wasn't what I meant, Ichijo-san."

Takuma blinked, turning his gaze back to the female vampire.

"Oh... What did you mean then?"

"I was implying that you come with me. It is your duty as a member of Kaname-sama's Night Class to protect Cross Academy after all. This way, I will not be defying my orders. Do you believe you're up to it?"

She phrased it as a question but her tone indicated that she wasn't exactly asking. If there was one thing Takuma was learning about the mysterious vampiress it was that she was subtly demanding.

She was right, though. It _was_ his duty to protect Cross Academy and it's students. After all, in a way, this was somewhat his fault. He had been the one to bring Rido to the Academy. He had unleashed him upon everyone. The least he could do was prevent any more damage from being caused.

"Yeah, I'm up to it. Just let me grab my-"

Seiren pulled Takuma's katana from beneath the chair and handed it to him, hilt first. So she was psychic as well as demanding. Good to know. The next thing he knew, Seiren was perched, ready to leap, on the windowledge.

"Change quickly. There's clean clothes in the cupboard. I'll wait outside," she announced before springing and dropping out of sight, leaving Takuma staring after her.

۞

Ichiru stared sightlessly before him, hand absent-mindedly tracing the grooves of the ice cold coffin he was leaning against. The fingers of his other hand twitched around the hilt of his sword. He wanted nothing more than to rip it from it's sheath and plunge it into the monster's chest. To have the man who Shizuka-sama hated above all die by his hand- but it was impossible. For a start, the body laying in the coffin was as empty as a blank canvas. Tearing it to shreds with his blade may make him feel better, somewhat, but it would be pointless. Effort wasted that may be useful elsewhere. The man, if the mundane word could be used for such an abomination, wouldn't die from something like that. He _would_ die, soon, but not by Ichiru's hand. The thought was infuriating.

He should be the one to take this thing's life. For everything he did to Shizuka-sama, a thousand deaths- _a thousand, agonizing, drawn out, torturing, deaths-_ would never be enough.

A snarl pulled at his lips unconsciously.

He was disgusted with himself. Here he was, waiting for the man who had killed the woman he'd loved to revive the body of the man she'd abhorred. If Shizuka-sama could see him now, what would she say?

Footsteps echoed along the hallway outside the freezing chamber. Ichiru's hand tightened on the hilt, having to use all of his will-power to resist the overwhelming temptation to just run the blade straight through Kaname Kuran as he entered the room, unsuspecting.

No matter how much he wanted to do that, he wouldn't.

Just like with Rido, Kaname Kuran wouldn't die from such an attack. He probably wouldn't even wince.

The large oak door swung open, a man walking in swiftly.

Kaname shrugged off his long travelling coat, letting it fall to the floor. He met Ichiru's eyes, unfazed by the glare he was being dealt.

"Good evening," he greeted pleasantly.

Silence, then, "Get this over with."

"Of course."

Ichiru rose from his slouch, unsheathing the sword. Kaname watched him intently. Under such close scrutinizing, Ichiru found himself uncomfortable with exposing his back to the Pureblood. He walked around the side of the coffin till he was facing Kaname again, then began slicing through the chains ensnared around it, _slash, slash, slash._

The severed chains clattered to the ground, the noise reverberating around making it sound like twice as many fell. Kaname wasted no time, tearing his eyes from the Kiryuu and flinging the lid of the coffin open.

Ichiru tried to keep his eyes trained on the ground, on anything but what lay inside the coffin, but couldn't. Against his better judgement, he glanced up and couldn't look away again.

A mess of thick, dark mahogany hair hung lifelessly around a thin, emaciated looking face. The skin was a pallid grey, the veins spiderwebbing beneath eerily visible. His lips were dry, chapped, slightly open, exposing long ivory fangs. The clothing he was adorned in was out of date, slightly dust covered. His chest was perfectly still, no breath being drawn in or exhaled out to move it. No pulse jumping beneath his firm jaw.

He was so still. If Ichiru didn't know better, he'd think the body was made of stone; cold, sleek marble. However, he did know better. That serene calm on the corpses face wouldn't last long.

Kaname stepped forward, already raising his wrist to his mouth. Ichiru noted absently that there was already blood, dry and crumbling, smeared along his hand. He sank the fangs into his flesh, deep, without hesitation. It must have hurt, but he made no indication of pain, not even discomfort.

Ichiru finally managed to tear his eyes away from the scene when Kaname lowered his bleeding hand to Rido's parted lips, letting his blood flow into his Uncle.

The reaction was instantaneous.

Colour threaded through his skin, the pulse in his throat jumping to life. His eyes lost their sunken appearance, the shadows fading away. A shuddering breath, lungs unused to this after having been out of use for so long.

Kaname almost sighed, impatient. He knew this was necessary but this was grotesque to him. His blood belonged to Yuuki and Yuuki alone. She was in his room, awaiting his return. He didn't have time to waste here, whilst she sat confused and scared.

_'Hurry, dammit...'_

۞

_'They've stopped running. Met a dead end?'_

Rido meandered down the stairs, hands buried in his pockets, smirking that insufferable smirk. Power coursed through his veins stronger than moments ago. That nephew of his had finally done something useful then.

Well, two useful things.

The girls scent reached him; sweet, innocent, fresh. It was taking him everything he had not to just go to her now, whilst Kaname was tending to his body, and drain her dry. However, that would defeat the object. He wanted the power in her blood, not just the blood itself. If he wasn't in his own body when he absorbed her power then he wouldn't be the one to gain the power.

So, he'd amuse himself till his body was ready and brought to him with these two lesser vampires. He'd already cornered them. It was always fun to toy with his prey before he struck. From what he'd seen so far, the Aido boy was very temperamental.

Those types always made the best playthings.

۞

"You... You're kidding me!" Aido exclaimed, staring in disbelief around them. Beside him, Rima panted, equally infuriated. Neither had gone this far into the Moon Dorm before, never seeing the need to go farther than the lounge, kitchen or their own rooms. The Moon Dorms were made up of hundreds of rooms. Now was most definitely not the time to get lost there. Neither Aido nor Rima had known such a room existed. A store room, possibly?

Boxes upon boxes were piled up against the walls. Dust hung in the air, thick and unpleasant, making both of them cough and gag. Sheets were strewn everywhere without care, never to be used again. Some paintings and an assortment of ornaments were left lying around here and there; faded, cracked, shattering. What caught Rima's attention most among these old artifacts, though, was a tall mirror. The glass was filthy, murky. The frame, once a pristine gold, had faded to a bronzy-brown over the years. She was half expecting to see an unconscious Shiki lying in it's depths but only her own reflection stared back at her.

"Oi, Touyah. Lets check under some of these cloths and see if there's another door. We can't go back that way. We'll only run right into him," Aido suggested, walking over to one of the ancient wall-hangings and checking under it. The only thing that greeted him was more of the same grungy-white wall. The boy cursed under his breath, darting over to another section of the large room and checking there. Rima joined him in his frantic search.

The room was suddenly filled with an icy chill, and Rima glanced questioningly at Aido.

"Just to be safe," he murmured as he coated the walls and floors with a reflective ice. It was like being surrounded by mirrors, every corner of the room now in plain sight no matter which way they turned. The doorway was frosted over too, though they both knew that that would have no effect on _him._

She could hear him now, slowly descending the stairs leading to this room. Her heart was hammering in her chest so hard it hurt, and she could hear Aido's beating a mile a minute too.

They'd searched the entire room, but no way out. The only exit was blocked by the very thing they were fleeing from.

Aido and Rima's eyes met from across the room, the same fear reflected in each others, made all the worse because they didn't even know _what _it was exactly that they were afraid of. They only knew it wasn't Shiki. _Not Shiki._

The nearing footsteps stopped just at the door, and the silhouette of Shiki's body looked so much bigger through the thin sheet of ice separating them. Rima could almost see him grinning as he, with such slow deliberateness, raised a hand to knock daintily upon the ice like it was a door.

The air crackled as Rima's fear made way for raw panic, thin bolts of electricity snapping from her unconsciously.

"_Anybody home~"_ that damn voice, that was so much like his but was nothing like it at the same time, sang.

Aido's breath caught in his throat, fists clenching. Goddamit, he was Hanabusa Aido! He did not get toyed with like this! _He _was the one who did the playing, not the other way around. Whoever this person was obviously didn't comprehend just who they were messing with.

And that was when he saw it.

The mirror. The only actual mirror in the room, despite his makeshift ice ones. He'd noticed it when they'd come into the room, of course, but it was different now. It no longer reflected the room as it had, a swirling darkness like a mist rising within it to the surface. Maybe it was the anxiety that was overcoming him, or some sort of 'smoke and mirrors' effect, but the surface seemed to... ripple... like water.

...Was it because _he _had drew nearer? Aido's mind raced. Nothing else had changed since they came inside the room until the mirror changed. What other reason could there be? Little things came back to him over the past while that had struck him odd, though one stood out more than the others. The model Shiki, with his mirror covered. What possible reason could a model have for hiding their mirror? Shiki had never really been vain, no, but it wasn't like he went out of his way to avoid looking at himself either.

Rima frowned, looking across again to Aido, who has gesturing wildly towards the ground. Looking down, she saw that grooves had been cut into the ice coating the floor. Words. A message.

_**I have a plan.**_

۞

_...Such familiar voices, bringing back things he'd begun to forget. One that borne in him a fond annoyance, another that brought so many things he couldn't even begin to name them. But if he could hear those voices then that was bad. That was very bad._

_He didn't want to hear their voices. If he could hear their voices then _HE _could hear their voices._

_Oh god, his eyes just wouldn't open. Hearing her wasn't enough, he wanted to see her. She was so damn close._

_His body wouldn't listen any more. Everything was so heavy, so tired. It was too much effort to just _listen.

_Move, Shiki. See her, Shiki. _Save her, Shiki.

۞

He could taste their fear, thick in the air, and his hunger grew. Nothing the cat liked better than scared mice, after all. Deciding they'd had enough time to torture themselves with images of their own impending demise, Rido lashed out another tendril of Shiki's blood, destroying the sheet of ice barricading the door, and stepped inside, only to pause.

Rido Kuran was not one to go into a job without thorough planning, and this time had been no different. He'd had the Ichijo boy give him a description of the entire dormitory, from every room, basement to roof. Then when he'd gotten there, he'd wandered every hall, imprinting every little scratch on the wall or scruff on the flooring in his mind.

This wasn't what this room was supposed to look like. If his memory served him, and it always did as did everything else, this room was supposed to be a rather large storeroom. Boxes of books, candles, crockery and the sort. Old sheets, rugs and curtains. That was all that was supposed to be down here.

His lips curled up, and he snickered.

Oh, these children. They were making this game so much fun.

A maze of ice mirrors filled the room, from floor to ceiling. His borrowed body begun to tremble from the intense cold, cheeks flushing. The air was almost cold enough to cut, the Aido boy obviously ensuring the reflective walls of his maze would stay.

Wait, no, Rido realised, smirk falling for a fraction of a second. That was what he wanted him to think.

And he was right. The reason for the cold was not to maintain the maze. It was to make his son's body so cold that it's reactions would weaken. Already his nose was beginning to block, his sense of smell being cut off at the knees.

The smirk stayed in place, but his cold eyes burned.

If he couldn't simply follow their scent, the game became a great deal more difficult.

As always, he'd been completely right in his assumptions about Hanabusa Aido. The boy really was _interesting._

"Very clever, Aido! Really, I have to hand it to you! Obscuring my senses like this, and to create such an intricate maze in so little time! You really are a prodigy!" Rido called out, taking a few experimental steps down one of the little trails. It was true, his sense of smell was being completely blocked with Aido's little trick. If he'd been in his own body, he'd have been completely fine, but in Shiki's body, Aido was certainly gaining the upper hand.

"To think Kaname has a pawn like you. You must grow bored, trapped in Kaname's little cage. No doubt he doesn't put your genius to work... How about it, Aido? Won't you join me instead? "

He reached a fork in the road. Just ahead, at the far end of the path on the left, a shadow flickered by in the reflection of the ice wall.

Another of the boy's tricks? Or a flaw in their plan?

Throwing caution to the wind, Rido took the left path, and strode down it. The path curved, then there was a clearing of sorts. Five ice walls, so clear they almost looked like glass, lay in the centre, with five other trails leading away.

Maybe Hanabusa Aido wouldn't die that day. Someone with such a quick mind and an even quicker hand would be ever so useful to Rido.

"...You don't have to die today, Aido. It would be _such a pity, _to have to kill such an interesting person. Just give me the girl and I'll spare you."

"_Not on your life! I would never betray Kaname-sama like that!"_

"_Oh for g-god's sake, Aido! S-Shh!"_

His sense of smell may have been rendered useless, but his sense of hearing was completely unaffected by the chill.

With his lips curling into a wicked something between a smirk and a smile that promised pain and lots of it, Rido Kuran sprang forward.

۞

All over the grounds of Cross Academy, the peaceful world Kaien Cross had been building so carefully was crumbling, escaping from his grip like wisps of smoke.

The girl he loved as his daughter was forever changed, and the boy he secretly liked to think of as his son was forever broken because of it. The bond he'd watched them build up over the years was shattered in the bite of a fang. He couldn't protect them now.

The Night Class he'd been trying to watch over too were scattered and divided, every loyalty questionable and every life in danger. He couldn't protect them now.

The Day Class were defenceless and not as oblivious as he'd have wanted. They were afraid, so damn afraid, and they didn't even understand the danger. He could still protect them yet.

With his glasses cast asunder and hair whipping around his face, Kaien Cross drew his blade from it's dusty scabbard and watched as the Level-E army neared. Takuma Ichijo and Seiren stood at his side, their own weapons drew, and waited.

The moon hung high in the sky. Day was a long way away yet.

_Forgive me, Juuri..._

۞

Rima screamed, probably the girliest scream she'd ever given, and leapt away as shards of ice rained down upon them. Not even looking back at their attacked, the two took off at a run so fast if any humans had been present they wouldn't have been able to see them.

Not for the first time, Aido cursed his temperament. Still, it wasn't over just yet.

Grasping Rima's wrist tightly, he tugged the trembling girl along behind him. The only problem with the ice-maze was the constant temperature he had to keep up. Of course, Aido himself could handle the chill, but Rima wasn't adjusting well, barely able to stand by herself for the shaking.

Rounding corner after corner, Shiki hot on their heels, Aido weaved between false mirror and false mirror.

"Touyah... Are you gonna be able to do this? It's now or never," Aido muttered hurriedly, watching their reflections dashing past, and the one behind them.

"I-I can... do i-it," she managed between chattering teeth.

Aido looked down at her, doubt etched onto every fine line of his face, but nodded. As they came to a fork in the road, he released her wrist and they darted separate ways.

Just as they'd known he would, Shiki followed Rima.

۞

_A scream._

_His finger twitched, the first movement in so long, and he was determined that it wouldn't be his last._

_Definitely her. Definitely her scream. Oh god, she was hurt. She was bleeding. She was dying._

_MOVE DAMMIT! MOVE!_

_Another finger moved, the hand twitching, making the knuckles that were so unused crack from the sudden movement._

_An eyelid flickered, and he willed it to keep it up. Keep moving until it opened. Keep moving until he could see her._

۞

He was growing tiresome of this game of chase now. Damn the limitations of this body. If he'd been in his own, he'd have been able to catch, never mind her, the _both _of them before they even registered what had happened. It was all that woman's fault, Misaki. If it weren't for her and her influence on him, the boy would have been stronger. As it were, this girl was on par with Senri power wise, despite the traces of pure blood in his veins.

Oh well. The cold was having a far worse effect on her than it was on him.

Her ivory skin was taking on a blueish hue, she was trembling so much she was barely managing to keep up her sprint, and her breathing was becoming erratic.

"Just give up, Rima! You won't be able to run much longer!"

_'ShutupShutupShutupShutup!'_

Dammit, where was the boy with his body? This girl was just supposed to be the appetiser before the main course, which he couldn't even sense anymore in this useless body, yet she was taking up so much of his time.

She skidded around a corner and he followed, only to have her disappear from his sights. He managed to skid to a halt right before he hit it.

His eyes widened as realisation hit him.

Oh, the boy was good. Too damn good.

"Now, Touyah!" Aido shouted out, launching a bolt of ice towards Shiki's body as it stood frozen before the only real mirror in the room. Rido spun on his heel, dodging the icicle, watching with dawning horror as it flew towards the mirror and _in to it._

Rima darted forward and thrust her arms out in front of her, shoving him with all her strength backwards. He couldn't find purchase on the icy ground and couldn't stop his fall backwards towards the mirror.

He wouldn't let them win.

He rose a finger to his mouth, piercing the tip, and with as much strength as he could put into the blow, lashed a final whip of Shiki's blood at Rima.

"T-Touyah!"

Rima crashed to the ground, blinded by the sheer pain, the chill disappearing into furious heat as her blood spread across her chest. Just before the darkness completely took over her, ignoring Aido's panicked cries of her name, she could have sworn she saw two bruised and bloodied arms reach out of the mirror towards Shiki's falling body, and drag someone with eyes of crimson and sapphire into it's depths.

۞

"I'm... really sorry, Shiki," Aido murmured, trying to decipher the expression on the younger boy's pallid face as he stared down wordlessly at the headstone.

He was looking a lot better now, the blond decided. What happened after Rima had pushed Rido Kuran, as that was who they'd all later learnt it was, towards the mirror was a blur of fighting and tears and, as always for them, blood.

The ice maze had disappeared the second Rima had hit the floor, Aido's concentration too divided to maintain it. Ichiru Kiryuu had arrived into the flooded storeroom not long after, carrying a body, and had dropped the body beside the mirror and left without a word.

And then that body had awoken and Aido was so sure he was going to die. A Pureblood. He'd suspected of course, but to have the suspicion confirmed... But Rido had just looked at him as he'd knelt beside the bleeding and unconscious Rima and announced he had more important matters to be attending to.

Everything else that had happened, Aido had heard second-hand from Kain.

Among other things, the prefect girl was actually a Pureblood, and Kaname's sister and fiancé. Their Pureblood Princess now. That was almost too much for Aido to take in, but so many things from the past now made sense that he accepted it without question.

Between Yuuki Cross, or Kuran as she was now to be called, and Zero Kiryuu, Rido had been taken down, or at least that was the word. Whether or not he was truly dead, no one knew.

Takuma had disappeared. All Kain had known was that he'd gone to confront his Grandfather after assisting the fight against the Level-Es assailing the grounds, but had yet to return. Seiren had vanished from Kaname's side not long after to find him, though Kain had almost made it sound like she'd done so _without _a direct order from Kaname. Wonders will never cease.

The school's future itself was now questionable, what with the interference of the Council. Whether the Night Class would be reinstated, Kain didn't know.

And then Shiki had awoken.

The real Shiki this time, they had no doubts.

"...If you need anything... Just ask," Aido offered, completely at a loss of words in such a situation. Shiki nodded, then turned to look at him for the first time since they'd arrived.

Aido couldn't help the slight chill that ran through him as he met those eyes, even though they were free of the wickedness from before.

"...Thank you, for everything you did," Shiki mumbled, as though embarrassed to even be saying the words. He wasn't though. Sincerity was evident in every way, and Aido found himself a bit flustered at it.

"You don't have to thank me. As a loyal follower of Kaname-sama, it was to be expected of me!" He gave the only response he could think of, though they both knew his actions had had little to do with Kaname.

Shiki gave one last glance towards the headstone, a weary sigh escaping him, before walking back towards Aido, "I'm ready to leave now."

Aido nodded, also looking back at the headstone one last time, "Yeah. If you're not there when she wakes up, she won't be very happy, right?"

Shiki almost smirked, but stopped himself. He was being so careful not to do anything that was remotely close to what that man would do.

The two left the graveyard.

No need to linger. After all, if Shiki wasn't there when Rima woke up, there would be hell to pay.

"_Misaki Shiki_

_1921-2010_

_Always in our thoughts, forever in our hearts."_


End file.
